make a start

phrase

: to do the first part of something : to begin doing something
often + on
He arrived home and made a start on fixing dinner.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Make a start.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%20a%20start. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster