start

verb

Save Word

\ ˈstärt

Definition of start

(Entry 1 of 3)

intransitive verb

1a : to move suddenly and violently : spring started angrily to his feet

b : to react with a sudden brief involuntary movement started when a shot rang out

2a : to issue with sudden force blood starting from the wound

b : to come into being, activity, or operation when does the movie start the rain started up again

3 : to protrude or seem to protrude eyes starting from their sockets

4 : to become loosened or forced out of place one of the planks has started

5a : to begin a course or journey started toward the door just starting out

b : to range from a specified initial point the rates start at $10

6 : to begin an activity or undertaking especially : to begin work

7 : to be a participant in a game or contest especially : to be in the starting lineup

transitive verb

1 : to cause to leave a place of concealment : flush start a rabbit

2 archaic : startle, alarm

3 : to bring up for consideration or discussion

4 : to bring into being start a rumor

5 : to cause to become loosened or displaced

6 : to begin the use of start a fresh loaf of bread

7a : to cause to move, act, or operate start the motor

b : to cause to enter a game or contest especially : to put in the starting lineup

c : to care for or train during the early stages of growth and development started plants a well-started coonhound

8 : to do or experience the first stages or actions of started studying music at the age of five

start something or less commonly start anything

: to make trouble always trying to start something don't start anything

to start with

1 : at the beginning : initially

2 : in any event

start

noun

Definition of start (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : a sudden involuntary bodily movement or reaction woke with a start

b : a brief and sudden action or movement

c : a sudden capricious impulse or outburst

2 : a beginning of movement, activity, or development a false start housing starts

3 : head start

4 : a place of beginning

5 : the act or an instance of being a competitor in a race or a member of a starting lineup in a game undefeated in six starts — Current Biography

START

abbreviation

\ ˈstärt

Definition of START (Entry 3 of 3)

strategic arms reduction talks

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about start

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for start

Verb

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 start in a Sentence

Verb They started clearing land for the new housing development. He started studying music at the age of five. As soon as you're ready to play, we'll start. Let's start with some warm-up exercises. He deleted what he wrote and started fresh. Olympic athletes start young and train hard. I started the quilt last month. Have you started your book report? We started the meeting at 6:30. She started the meeting with a brief review of the previous meeting. Noun knew from the start of the game that he would win easily

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The New York Giants have benched longtime starting quarterback Eli Manning after beginning the season 0-2. — Christopher Brito, CBS News, "New York Giants bench Eli Manning for rookie Daniel Jones," 17 Sep. 2019 With the Jets missing several key starters, including starting quarterback Sam Darnold, Cleveland had its way with New York, allowing only 262 yards of offense. — Ellis L. Williams, cleveland.com, "Browns vs. Rams preview: 5 things to know about Cleveland’s next opponent," 17 Sep. 2019 However, one of the selling points was likely that Pittsburgh will finish the 2019 season without starting quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, who suffered a season-ending elbow injury in last Sunday’s 28-26 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. — Omar Kelly, sun-sentinel.com, "Dolphins trade DB Minkah Fitzpatrick to Steelers for first-round pick," 17 Sep. 2019 To start, the team took CT scans of two Komodo dragons, according to a press release. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Komodo Dragons Have Skin That Looks Like Chain Mail," 17 Sep. 2019 One good strategy is to start by eliminating the stuff that is easy. — Kate Wheeling, The New Republic, "Jonathan Safran Foer on Our Moral Obligation to Eat Better," 17 Sep. 2019 Week 7 Arizona Cardinals – Week 8 Veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater is expected to take over as the Saints’ starting quarterback while Brees is out of action. — Ryan R. Bonini, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, "Drew Brees will miss time, Saints' Super Bowl odds to be hit hard," 16 Sep. 2019 Franks, the Gators’ starting quarterback, suffered a gruesome ankle injury against Kentucky, knocking him out for the season. — C.j. Doon, baltimoresun.com, "College football overreaction index, Week 3: Same old Maryland?; ACC is at the bottom of the Power 5," 16 Sep. 2019 Without starting quarterback Sam Darnold, who missed his first game with mono, the Jets offense stalled. — Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY, "Odell Beckham Jr. has big game as Cleveland Browns topple undermanned New York Jets," 16 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The hottest destination for the start of this new decade isn’t an exotic locale like Bora Bora or the Egyptian pyramids for once-in-a-lifetime adventure. — Sara K. Runnels, The New Yorker, "The No. 1 Place to Visit in 2020," 10 Jan. 2020 All college teams must be at 85 scholarship players for the start of the season each fall, and that number hangs in the background of decisions made year-round. — Nathan Baird, cleveland, "Ohio State football scholarship chart 2020," 9 Jan. 2020 Before the start of the Winter Meetings, the Cincinnati Reds were heavy into their recruitment for Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama. — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Why the Cincinnati Reds made signing Shogo Akiyama a priority this offseason," 9 Jan. 2020 In a move designed to elevate public education into a major issue this session and campaign season, a Florida teachers union has issued a call to action with a protest planned for Monday, the eve of the start of the state Legislature’s 2020 session. — James Call, USA TODAY, "Florida teachers plan to march on Capitol demanding more money for schools," 9 Jan. 2020 The long standoff between Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell that has held up the start of President Donald Trump’s Senate trial may be coming to an end. — Alana Abramson, Time, "Impeachment Standoff Could Be Coming to a Close," 9 Jan. 2020 It was dated to between 482 and 673 BC, the start of the Iron Age. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Secrets of an astonishingly well-preserved 2,600-year-old human brain," 8 Jan. 2020 The changes that Wiener unveiled Monday would delay the start of the law until 2023, giving cities two extra years to come up with alternative plans that could accommodate the amount of new housing that SB50 would require. — Alexei Koseff, SFChronicle.com, "Scott Wiener tries to save SB50 housing bill with local control changes," 6 Jan. 2020 So the fact that this year’s ceremony took place the night before the start of the trial of Harvey Weinstein, the man who arguably gave rise to the movement, added a certain scrutiny to what everyone wore. — New York Times, "The Best and the Worst of the Golden Globes," 6 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'start.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.