initiate

1 of 3

verb

ini·​ti·​ate i-ˈni-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce initiate (audio)
initiated; initiating

transitive verb

1
: to cause or facilitate the beginning of : set going
initiate a program of reform
enzymes that initiate fermentation
2
: to induct into membership by or as if by special rites
3
: to instruct in the rudiments or principles of something : introduce
initiator noun

initiate

2 of 3

noun

ini·​tiate i-ˈni-sh(ē-)ət How to pronounce initiate (audio)
1
: a person who is undergoing or has undergone an initiation
2
: a person who is instructed or adept in some special field

initiate

3 of 3

adjective

ini·​tiate i-ˈni-sh(ē-)ət How to pronounce initiate (audio)
1
a
: initiated or properly admitted (as to membership or an office)
b
: instructed in some secret knowledge
2
obsolete : relating to an initiate
Choose the Right Synonym for initiate

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of initiate in a Sentence

Verb Doctors have initiated a series of tests to determine the cause of the problem. The company initiated judicial proceedings against them. The new recruits will be initiated tomorrow night. He was initiated into a secret society. Noun These secrets are known only to a small group of initiates.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
As a result, the city moved to initiate the competitive bid process, Phelps said. Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 The products are existing Yeezy designs initiated in 2022. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024 Stanley cup lead lawsuit Since then, two women have initiated class-action lawsuits – one in California, the other in Nevada – against Stanley over concerns about potential lead in the tumblers. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 Tech giants, including Google, Microsoft and Meta, have initiated substantial layoffs, with Google preparing for a second round. Al Khan, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 That language would raise the number of signatures needed to initiate a recall election in the future by about 20,000. Will McCarthy, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 The storms are expected to initiate late in the afternoon and perhaps after sunset and continue charging east through the overnight hours. Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 Other cities and communities have initiated similar canvassing efforts to distribute naloxone and other supplies, albeit on a smaller scale or by targeting specific populations of people. Nicole Leonard | Whyy, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024 With its tank battalion shrinking to the size of a company, the brigade initiated its second tank swap. David Axe, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
Noun
Now that Libby has made an explosive return to the present, the six initiates are again vulnerable to the lethal terms of their recruitment: a sacrifice must be made. Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2023 As the camera pans over an eclectic collection of cars, buses and tents, several of the initiates chime in, including one cast member whom the show has not yet disclosed. Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 11 Oct. 2023 Four-diamond recipients are more numerous and include such new initiates as Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya in Mexico, Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii and W Philadelphia. Andrea Sachs, Anchorage Daily News, 22 July 2023 After the ceremony, around 400 people celebrated the initiate at the Androy Hotel; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, the old hotel was retrofitted into an apartment complex a decade later. Leo Deluca, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2023 The new initiates, however, could become the next Grand Canyon, Zion, or Acadia, which were designated national monuments before drawing millions of annual visitors as national parks. Andrea Sachs, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Apr. 2023 Soon after that scene comes a different kind of rite: the Author witnesses her mother, an initiate into the Yoruba priesthood, being possessed by a spirit. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2022 Italian-Afro-Brazilian, anthropologist and doctor of education sciences, scholar and initiate of African and Afro-descendant religions and spiritual philosophies. Vogue, 27 Oct. 2022 The process of initiation itself is a symbolic death and rebirth, as though the initiate becomes a new person. Robert Launay, The Conversation, 12 July 2022
Adjective
In the indie film, Darke and Radcliffe shared some initiate moments, but their chemistry continued off-screen. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 26 Mar. 2023 Keep your knees straight and initiate from the ankle. Perri O. Blumberg, Men's Health, 3 May 2022 The contractor has been adding staff in preparation to re-initiate construction. Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2022 According to Watley, an expert instructor will present a presentation and initiate dialogue in a question-and-answer session. Eplunus Colvin, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2022 This signal could also do something more — which is initiate idle fees for cars that are full or beyond the maximum charging time. Brad Templeton, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2021 Androgens are involved in the onset of puberty and initiate hair growth in the underarms and pubic areas. Emilia Benton, Health.com, 27 Sep. 2021 Dialectic will conduct a first-in-human phase 1 dose-escalation study and initiate phase 2 studies. Dallas News, 20 Aug. 2021 Attacks in Vienna and Dresden in the last year have shown that the group still has the capacity to inspire and initiate acts of ruthless terror abroad. Sirwan Barzani, CNN, 19 Aug. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'initiate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Late Latin initiatus, past participle of initiare, from Latin, to induct, from initium

First Known Use

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of initiate was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near initiate

Cite this Entry

“Initiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/initiate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

initiate

1 of 2 verb
ini·​ti·​ate in-ˈish-ē-ˌāt How to pronounce initiate (audio)
initiated; initiating
1
: to set going : begin
initiate a new policy
2
: to instruct in the basics of something : introduce
initiate tourists into the local customs
3
: to admit into membership by special ceremonies
initiator noun
initiatory
-ˈish-(ē-)ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

initiate

2 of 2 noun
ini·​tiate in-ˈish-(ē-)ət How to pronounce initiate (audio)
1
: a person who is undergoing or has passed an initiation
2
: an expert in a special field
Etymology

Verb

from Latin initiatus, past participle of initiare "to begin" — related to commence

More from Merriam-Webster on initiate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!