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 + with

I 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

How have candidates who started out with low name ID performed historically in Wisconsin for these major offices of governor and senator? —Craig Gilbert, jsonline.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Prieto, a Mexican immigrant, started out living in a tiny mountain dugout and eventually assembled a 12,000-acre ranch. —Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025

Four of the top five are colleges within the City University of New York system–which started out free and still offers rock bottom in-state tuition, with a commuter culture further reducing costs. —Emma Whitford, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025

Most Costcos start out slow right at opening, and then the crowd starts to build as people drag themselves out of bed to face the day. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for start out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout