1
as in to commence
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 to start
to come into existence
the storm began late in the day and lasted all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to establish
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
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Recent Examples of begin
But the problem began snowballing only late last month, when Grok seemingly granted a large number of user requests to modify images posted by others.
—
Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Maple Grove police said officers responded on Monday to reports of a protest at the hotel and that the protest escalated when agitators allegedly began throwing objects at officers and damaging property.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The remailing program began in 1946, when the local postmaster and a businessman came up with Loveland’s stamp-collecting oddity.
—Mindy Sink, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
Kaiser nurses statewide began an indefinite strike Monday, restarting picket lines that went idle after a five-day work stoppage in October 2025.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for begin
Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Maple Grove police said officers responded on Monday to reports of a protest at the hotel and that the protest escalated when agitators allegedly began throwing objects at officers and damaging property.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The remailing program began in 1946, when the local postmaster and a businessman came up with Loveland’s stamp-collecting oddity.
—Mindy Sink, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026
Kaiser nurses statewide began an indefinite strike Monday, restarting picket lines that went idle after a five-day work stoppage in October 2025.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for begin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for begin
Verb
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In his late 20s at the time, Murdoch was commencing a staggering hot streak that would last roughly a decade.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Pitchfork,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Dinner commences in a cool and calm underground lounge before moving upstairs to another intimate locale.—
Wendy Altschuler,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Brown started 2-for-11 from the field before closing the half with a 3-pointer and a driving layup — his first field-goal attempt of the game from inside 9 feet.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
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Just as the capital started to recover from the damage and heat began to return to people’s homes, Russia launched its largest strike of the year so far, firing more than 30 missiles and 339 drones overnight into Tuesday.—
Svitlana Vlasova,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Define your highest-value transformation, identify perfect-fit clients, set non-negotiable pricing, design simple delivery, and establish premium standards.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Calvo argued to the Herald that fictional portrayals should help establish a better image of the city, not harm it.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors said Greenlee used her position to steal from the Morgan Hill business’s bank account, writing fraudulent checks and opening two credit cards in her name.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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The Clippers responded with a 10-0 run to open a 103-91 lead as Doncic went silent, finishing the night with just three points in the final quarter.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ivermectin, which originated as a treatment for horse parasites, gained traction on social media during the pandemic as an option for treating coronavirus.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
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Schmidt comes to the project after originating the role of Sodapop in The Outsiders, a Tony Award-winning musical produced by Jolie.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Following those verifications, the NRA issued its test-use approval early Wednesday afternoon, clearing the way for TEPCO to begin withdrawing control rods and initiating the nuclear reaction later in the day, Reuters reported.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Jan. 2026
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The problems start to arise once the Wolves turn to their bench.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Politically, there might also be little to gain from the international outcry that would arise were the high-profile artist detained or prevented from entering Beijing.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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In 1916, the Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple, also known as the Denver Buddhist Church at the time, was founded at 1950 Lawrence St.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Begin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/begin. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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