inception

noun

in·​cep·​tion in-ˈsep-shən 

: an act, process, or instance of beginning : commencement

a project kept secret since its inception

Synonyms of inception

• beginning
• commencement
• start
• onset
• launch
• alpha

Choose the Right Synonym for inception

origin, source, inception, root mean the point at which something begins its course or existence.

origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being.

an investigation into the origin of baseball

source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.

the source of the Nile

the source of recurrent trouble

inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.

the business has been a success since its inception

root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.

the real root of the violence

Examples of inception in a Sentence

The project has been shrouded in controversy from its inception.

Since its inception, the business has expanded to become a national retail chain.

We'll assist you at every stage from inception to completion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Onex Partners has invested $22 billion across six funds, acquired 53 operating company platforms, and completed more than 590 add-on acquisitions, while offering $7 billion of co-investment capital across 24 co-investment opportunities since inception. — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

The plan has morphed in the decade since its inception amid local opposition, and in 2024 proponents yanked a related ballot measure after opting to try and work with local regulators. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026

Since its inception, competitors have struggled not only to string together all those corners but to maintain speed all the way to the 14,115-foot (4,302 m) summit. — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026

Since the festival’s inception in 1960, more than 350 NFB films have screened as part of the official selection, winning 66 awards, including nine Grand Prix du Festival (today known as the Annecy Cristal). — Ed Meza, Variety, 22 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English incepcion, from Latin inception-, inceptio, from incipere to begin, from in- + capere to take

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inception

• conception
• deception
• exception
• perception
• reception
• apperception
• contraception
• interception
• misconception
• misperception
• preconception
• intussusception

Kids Definition

inception

noun

in·​cep·​tion in-ˈsep-shən 

: an act or instance of beginning