Synonyms of commence

commence

verb

kə-ˈmen(t)s 

1

as in to begin

to take the first step in (a process or course of action)

commence the festivities

Synonyms & Similar Words

• begin
• start
• launch
• open
• found
• fall (to)
• set about
• get going
• strike (into)
• initiate
• enter (into or upon)
• embark (on or upon)
• create
• get off
• get to
• lead off
• generate
• originate
• inaugurate
• establish
• organize
• kick off
• adopt
• invent
• institute
• take up
• pioneer
• innovate
• take on
• spawn
• embrace
• get around (to)
• get down (to)
• set up
• father
• get round (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• conclude
• end
• finish
• terminate
• cease
• stop
• halt
• discontinue
• complete
• quit
• leave
• close
• desist
• abandon
• lay off
• destroy
• abolish
• extinguish
• knock off
• forsake
• exterminate
• demolish
• phase out

2

as in to start

to come into existence

the games commenced early in the morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

• begin
• start
• originate
• arise
• appear
• be
• emerge
• arrive
• form
• set in
• materialize
• spring
• exist
• dawn
• break
• live
• engender
• actualize
• continue
• last
• breathe
• subsist
• survive
• persist
• come on
• endure
• shape (up)
• coalesce
• cohere

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stop
• cease
• end
• conclude
• finish
• terminate
• halt
• discontinue
• quit
• disappear
• dissolve
• die
• vanish
• depart
• desist
• expire
• evaporate
• perish
• pass away

Synonym Chooser

How is the word commence different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of commence are begin, inaugurate, initiate, start, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing

commenced a conversation

How does the word begin relate to other synonyms for commence?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip

began dancing

Where would inaugurate be a reasonable alternative to commence?

The words inaugurate and commence are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

When is initiate a more appropriate choice than commence?

In some situations, the words initiate and commence are roughly equivalent. However, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

When could start be used to replace commence?

The synonyms start and commence are sometimes interchangeable, but start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How do usher in and inaugurate relate to one another, in the sense of commence?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of commence

Kapusta resigned the day after the investigation commenced, and her resignation was accepted with prejudice, barring her from future employment with the Department of Corrections or any other entity that falls under the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Hall said. —Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 7 Aug. 2025

The band’s North American leg will commence on Aug. 24 in Toronto, Canada. —Thomas Smith, Billboard, 6 Aug. 2025

MacArthur himself called back, instructing them to mark drop zones for B-29 supply runs and assuring them that the drops would commence within hours. —Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025

The club will now commence a two-week break before returning to action against DC United on August 9 at Gillette Stadium. —Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 26 July 2025