1
as in commenced
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
she began walking to work for exercise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in started
to come into existence
the storm began late in the day and lasted all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in founded
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of began
According to the National Retail Federation's survey 49% of shoppers began to grab Halloween goodies in September or even earlier, up 2% from last year.
—
Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2025
The couple began dating in 2017 and got engaged about two years later.
—Alyssa Davis, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
The plant has been without power from the electricity network for four weeks, the longest blackout since the war began.
—Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Regulators say more crashes may come Tesla's latest FSD software update arrived just days before the investigation began.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
This new jackpot is the 10th largest since the Mega Millions game began in 2002.
—Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2025
Since the postseason began, Los Angeles’ four starting pitchers — Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Ohtani — have allowed just 10 earned runs while pitching 64 1/3 innings with 81 strikeouts over their 10 playoff games.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Gosselin says that Pickering’s original masters were lost, and the mixes that made it onto the record began in 2022 after Gosselin sought Pickering’s input.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2025
Subu’s legal odyssey began in 1982, when he was arrested for the 1980 murder of his friend, 19-year-old Thomas Kinser, in Centre County.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2025
The couple began dating in 2017 and got engaged about two years later.
—Alyssa Davis, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
The plant has been without power from the electricity network for four weeks, the longest blackout since the war began.
—Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Regulators say more crashes may come Tesla's latest FSD software update arrived just days before the investigation began.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
This new jackpot is the 10th largest since the Mega Millions game began in 2002.
—Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2025
Since the postseason began, Los Angeles’ four starting pitchers — Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Ohtani — have allowed just 10 earned runs while pitching 64 1/3 innings with 81 strikeouts over their 10 playoff games.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Gosselin says that Pickering’s original masters were lost, and the mixes that made it onto the record began in 2022 after Gosselin sought Pickering’s input.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2025
Subu’s legal odyssey began in 1982, when he was arrested for the 1980 murder of his friend, 19-year-old Thomas Kinser, in Centre County.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for began
Verb
-
Thus commenced an awkward situation in which the next Rutgers president would inherit an athletic director who had just been hired by his predecessor.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Initial trial retrievals of fuel debris from Unit 2 have already commenced.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
At the back of a buzzy canteen, there are a pair of meeting spaces, whose names revolve with the latest academy players to have started a Premier League game for Newcastle.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Skilled forgers started to catch on, endeavoring to cash in on that development.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In 2024, the American firm released a collaboration with the lifestyle brand founded by Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz, which included a collection of fabrics, wall coverings and trims that reflect her eclectic runway fashions and South American spirit.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The firm, which was founded in 2022, will utilize the funding to begin serial turbine production, refine its AI control algorithms, and develop next-generation models for diverse environments.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The performance opened with Hoying singing live, adding a personal touch to the tribute.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Long before spots like Rosa Sky and Sexy Fish arrived and just months before Komodo opened, Brickell was more of a financial center and not the best place for a party.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The sturdy wood vessel lined with a silky white interior originated as a traditional mortuary viewing casket before a midlife career change took it to the stage.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
All three originated on different Amazon platforms.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
McVie herself established very elegant foundations, opting for herringbone flooring, marble fireplaces, and shaker-style cabinets in the kitchen.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
20 Oct. 2025
-
In Europe, the formation of Salon des Nouveaux Ensembliers is one of the boldest steps toward defining a new chapter of design, on the part of a national institution and toward pinpointing a distinct new guard composed of both established and emerging minds.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The two companies announced Tuesday that, in the near future, ChatGPT users will soon be able to use ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout feature—launched late last month—to purchase items from Walmart’s site.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Oct. 2025
-
That tool was launched in 2017 by 538, which was dismantled earlier this year by ABC News.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The bribery and money laundering charges against Smartmatic arose from an existing case filed last year against some of its current and former executives, including its founder.—
Marshall Cohen,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Oud-Heverlee Leuven’s first goal in their 2-1 win over FC Twente on Wednesday arose from a penalty given after review for handball; Leuven’s players appealed at the time, and replays showed a clear handball.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Began.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/began. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share