start

1 of 3

verb

ˈstärt 

started; starting; starts

intransitive verb

1

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

2

a

: 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

5

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

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

7

a

: 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

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

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

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

2

: in any event

Synonyms

Verb

• bolt
• jump
• startle

Noun

• alpha
• baseline
• beginning
• birth
• commencement
• dawn
• day one
• genesis
• get-go
• git-go
• inception
• incipience
• incipiency
• kickoff
• launch
• morning
• nascence
• nascency
• onset
• outset
• threshold

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

The school’s version is well on its way there, with one of the five figures missing entirely as the others have started to weather away. —Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024

The latest in a series of soggy weekends is expected to be followed by at least a week of warm and dry weather starting with above-normal temperatures Tuesday, but is not necessarily the season’s last. —Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

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
• 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 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 anything
• start from scratch
• start in
• start in on
• start off
• start on
• start on at
• start out
• start over
• start something
• start-up
• the start
• to start with

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