start out
phrasal verb
started out; starting out; starts out
1
: to begin in a specified way
He started out by introducing himself.
She started out at a slow jog.
The day started out hot and humid.
The story started out good, but I didn't like the ending.
She started out wanting to be a doctor but became a midwife instead.
—often + withI started out with $100 but I have only $10 left.
Let's start out with some warm-up exercises.
2
: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start
What started out as a simple idea has become an expensive and complicated project.
He started out in teaching before becoming a lawyer.
3
: to begin an important period in one's life or career
The couple is just starting out.
She started out on a career in teaching.
4
: to begin a trip
They started out in the early morning.
5
: to have a particular place as a beginning point
The parade starts out at the intersection of First and Main.
Examples of start out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Balancing Startup Mentality And Long-Term Goals When a tech company first starts out, priorities often center around innovation, securing funding and acquiring customers.
—
Guy Yehiav, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Whooping cough starts out like a normal cold with a cough, Chin-Hong said, but the cough only worsens as time goes on.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2025
The quiet death of movie culture by Ellis Jamal Sutton
Filmmaker Ellis Jamal Sutton may just be starting out, but his recent commentary on the state of cinema for his substack, Notes from the Studio, speaks to an awareness that will get him (and possibly you) very far.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 12 May 2025
What started out as a civil protest was purposely steered into becoming a firefight, but more accurately an ambush the Ghor congregated in the plaza had no chance of surviving.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for start out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Guy Yehiav, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Whooping cough starts out like a normal cold with a cough, Chin-Hong said, but the cough only worsens as time goes on.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2025
The quiet death of movie culture by Ellis Jamal Sutton
Filmmaker Ellis Jamal Sutton may just be starting out, but his recent commentary on the state of cinema for his substack, Notes from the Studio, speaks to an awareness that will get him (and possibly you) very far.
—Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 12 May 2025
What started out as a civil protest was purposely steered into becoming a firefight, but more accurately an ambush the Ghor congregated in the plaza had no chance of surviving.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for start out
Cite this Entry
“Start out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20out. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share