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

Two months later, the Shah, suffering from cancer, fled Iran and commenced the indignity of travelling from one country to the next, looking for an acceptable place of exile. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026

Their necks contorted slightly and smiles spread across their faces as the high-definition videos started and their journeys commenced. —Haven Daley, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026

It’s expected to commence once details about Gaza’s governance are hashed out by the warring sides and third-party mediators. —David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 11 Jan. 2026

Filming was to commence this weekend. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2026