BEGINS Synonyms: 132 Similar and Opposite Words

begins

verb

Definition of begins next

present tense third-person singular of begin

as in commences

to take the first step in (a process or course of action) she began walking to work for exercise

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in starts

to come into existence the storm began late in the day and lasted all night

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as in establishes

to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction

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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 begins And what begins as a clever, high-concept joke doesn’t always build beyond a steady stream of chuckles. —

Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 The tech support emergency script This scam often begins with a pop-up warning or an unexpected phone call. —

Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 The mayor’s budget plan is benefiting from higher-than-expected business, property and sales tax revenues, both in the current budget year and the one that begins on July 1. —

David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Without systems that carry standards forward independently, growth begins to work against the very thing that made the organization worth growing. —

Victoria Chynoweth, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026 Jones begins the creative process of building a cheese board with a mind map and mood board. —

Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 Elden Henson plays Murdock’s legal partner, Foggy Nelson, who begins the series blissfully unaware of his colleague’s true identity. —

David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Apr. 2026 That's where prior resistance flipped to support on the way up and where the pattern of higher lows begins to break down. —

Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026 As co-founder of Jason Hyde Jewelry, Deborah Singer explained, people are often surprised to learn that each piece begins as plastic pulled from the ocean, transformed through upcycling. —

Najahe Sherman, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for begins

Verb

But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure.

— Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026