start out

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

Intrinsic, whose bid was first detailed by Deadline two months ago, started out with a crowdfunding campaign on Seed & Spark. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 14 July 2026

Those starting out with smaller investment limits might consider coins or small bullions, while those with higher balances to transfer might consider using a gold IRA. — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 14 July 2026

In these studies, patients on insulin start out with a higher risk of cancer. — Ziyad Al-Aly, The Conversation, 13 July 2026

Adding to Marmion’s 13 boys sports, the girls will start out with seven — swimming, volleyball and cross-country in the fall; basketball and wrestling in the winter; soccer and track and field in the spring. — Dave Oberhelman, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026

Rhymes for start out

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