start

1 of 3

verb

ˈstärt 

started; starting; starts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come into being, activity, or operation

When does the movie start?

The fire started in the attic.

The rain started up again.

b

: have a particular beginning : to begin at a specified place or in a specified way

The English alphabet starts at A.

The trail starts here.

c

: to issue with sudden force

blood starting from the wound

2

: to begin an activity or undertaking

As soon as you're ready to play we'll start.

especially : to begin work

He accidentally deleted his work and had to start again.

3

: to be a participant in a game or contest

especially : to be in the starting lineup

4

a

: 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

5

a

: 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

6

: to protrude or seem to protrude

eyes starting from their sockets

7

: to become loosened or forced out of place

one of the planks has started

transitive verb

1

: to do or experience the first stages or actions of

started studying music at the age of five

started having chest pains

starting a new job next week

started reading the book last night

2

a

: to cause to move, act, or operate

start the motor

b

: to cause (something) to begin or begin in a certain way

She started the meeting.

She started the meeting.

c

: to cause to enter a game or contest

especially : to put in the starting lineup

d

: to care for or train during the early stages of growth and development

started plants

a well-started coonhound

3

: to cause to exist or happen

start a rumor/argument

start a scholarship

start a fire

4

: to begin the use of

start a new roll of tape

5

: to bring up for consideration or discussion

start a subject

6

: to cause to leave a place of concealment : flush

start a rabbit

7

archaic : startle, alarm

8

: to cause to become loosened or displaced

start

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: 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

… was subject to starts and aberrations of fancy …

—Edith Wharton

2

a

: the time at which something begins

didn't play well at the season's start

knew from the start they would win

The game was close from start to finish.

b

: a beginning of movement, activity, or development

a false start

housing starts

The restaurant had a shaky start.

Their relationship got off to a good/bad start. [=was good/bad at the beginning]

3

: head start

gave them a five minutes' start

4

: a place of beginning

cars lining up at the start

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

6

: a first opportunity

gave her a start in her career

START

3 of 3

abbreviation

ˈstärt 

strategic arms reduction talks

Phrases

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

It's easier now, but it was very difficult to start with.

2

: in any event

I have to go. To start with, it's late. And it's snowing.

Synonyms of start

Verb

• begin
• commence
• originate
• appear
• arise

Noun

• beginning
• commencement
• inception
• onset
• launch

Choose the Right Synonym for start

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

Keep reading for all the pieces that deserve a spot in your fall travel wardrobe, starting at $29. —Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025

Day Vacuum Deals Refreshing your space should always start with a deep cleaning, which requires a powerful vacuum. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025

Noun

Chasing a record 299, South Africa made a sedate start under immense pressure from medium pacer Renuka Singh. —CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025

With the brothers being seven years apart in age, James got his start as an actor first, gaining recognition with his breakthrough role in the TV series Freaks and Geeks from 1999 to 2000, and then for playing Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man trilogy, starring Tobey Maguire. —Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sterten; akin to Middle High German sterzen to stand up stiffly, move quickly

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 5a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing start

• a slow start
• false start
• flying start
• for a start
• from start to finish
• from the start
• get/have/make a late start
• get/make an early start
• get off to a good/bad start
• get/set/start the ball rolling
• get/start off on the right foot
• get/start off on the wrong foot
• give a start
• got off to a good/bad start
• got off to a slow start
• head start
• jump-start
• kick-start
• make a fresh/new start
• make a start
• running start
• set/start a (new) trend
• shotgun start
• start a family
• start from scratch
• start in
• start in on
• start off
• start on
• start on at
• start out
• start over
• start-up
• the start

Rhymes for start

• art
• cart
• carte
• chart
• dart
• fart
• haart
• mart
• part
• smart
• tart
• apart

Kids Definition

start

1 of 2 verb

ˈstärt 

1

: to move suddenly and sharply : give a sudden twitch or jerk (as in surprise)

2

: to come or bring into being, activity, or operation

who started the rumor

started a camp for youngsters

fire started in the cellar

the game started late

3

: to stick out or seem to stick out : protrude

eyes that started from their sockets

4

: set out sense 2, begin

start to school

5

: to take part or cause to take part in a game or contest

6

: to cause to move, act, or operate

start the motor

start

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a quick unwilled bodily reaction

b

: a brief and sudden action or movement

2

: a beginning of movement, activity, or development

get an early start

3

: a lead or advantage at the beginning of a race or competition : head start

4

: a place of beginning