start-up

noun

ˈstärt-ˌəp 

variants or startup

often attributive

1

: the act or an instance of setting in operation or motion

2

: a fledgling business enterprise

Examples of start-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Local-government officials encouraged the frenzy by pledging financial aid to start-ups that used OpenClaw. — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026

Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group have a new grievance with AI start-up Suno. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Sun Shuyang, 28, works for Happy Home, a start-up in the northern city of Tianjin. — Huiyee Chiew and Lyric Li The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026

Asset start-up announcements, as more than 20 major projects in the backlog go live, are among the upcoming catalysts investors should anticipate. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for start-up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup