Thesaurus

begin

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of begin

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

she began walking to work for exercise

Synonyms of begin

commence, embark (on or upon), enter (into or upon), fall (to), get off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, start, strike (into)

Words Related to begin

create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate

adopt, embrace, take on, take up

establish, father, found, institute, organize, pioneer, set up, spawn

get around (to), get down (to), get round (to)

Phrases Synonymous with begin

get going, get to, set about

Near Antonyms of begin

cease, desist, discontinue, halt, knock off, lay off, quit, stop

close, complete

abandon, forsake, leave

abolish, demolish, destroy, exterminate, extinguish, phase out

Antonyms of begin

conclude, end, finish, terminate

2 to come into existence

the storm began late in the day and lasted all night

Synonyms of begin

actualize, appear, arise, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, spring, start

Words Related to begin

be, breathe, exist, live, subsist

arrive, come on, emerge

coalesce, cohere, shape (up)

continue, endure, last, persist, survive

Near Antonyms of begin

conclude, desist, discontinue, finish, halt, quit, terminate

disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish

depart, die, expire, pass away, perish

Antonyms of begin

cease, end, stop

3 to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of

the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction

Synonyms of begin

constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up, start

Words Related to begin

author, father, originate

conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), create, devise, fabricate, invent, make up, manufacture, produce, think (up)

construct, put up

develop, enlarge, expand

endow, finance, fund, subsidize

arrange, organize, systematize, systemize

refound, reinitiate, reinstitute, relaunch

Near Antonyms of begin

abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify

end, finish, halt, stop, terminate

round (off or out), wind up, wrap up

Antonyms of begin

close (down), phase out, shut (up)

Synonym Discussion of begin

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation. begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable. begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

- begin a trip
- began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

- the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

- commence firing
- commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

- initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

- the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

- ushered in a period of economic decline

Learn More about begin

See words that rhyme with begin Dictionary: Definition of begin Spanish Central: Translation of begin Nglish: Translation of begin for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of begin for Arabic speakers

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