1
as in begins
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
commence the festivities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in starts
to come into existence
the games commenced early in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commences
Of course, things will continue to change as non-conference play mostly wraps up and the conference slate commences in earnest in the next couple of weeks.
—
Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There’s now just one last day of preseason games before the NFL commences its regular season.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Cade Klubnik is already getting high praise before the season even commences.
—Cecil Merkerson, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Beyond eclipses, Uranus commences its yearly retrograde in Gemini on September 6th.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 19 Aug. 2025
The notice doesn’t yet list which countries will be subject to the program, but the initial list is slated to be released when the program commences on August 20, 2025.
—AFAR Media, 12 Aug. 2025
Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There’s now just one last day of preseason games before the NFL commences its regular season.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Cade Klubnik is already getting high praise before the season even commences.
—Cecil Merkerson, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Beyond eclipses, Uranus commences its yearly retrograde in Gemini on September 6th.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 19 Aug. 2025
The notice doesn’t yet list which countries will be subject to the program, but the initial list is slated to be released when the program commences on August 20, 2025.
—AFAR Media, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commences
Verb
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As if the local deer population had enough to worry about as the bow hunting season begins, now a disease is spreading between them.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Oct. 2025
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This 84-mile loop begins and ends in Taos and traverses the high alpine desert of northern New Mexico and several mountain towns, including Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Questa, and Red River.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Hydroplaning is when a vehicle starts uncontrollably sliding on wet roads.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The sticker originates from a Williams fan, who got her question answered by the drivers in a video on Instagram.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
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That’s where the film originates — from that intergenerational dialogue between our generation and the generation of women born in the 1960s.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The state law's sole location requirement is that the facilities must be within 30 miles of a hospital to ensure access to a higher level of care in case the need arises.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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The political resonance of his project arises not from an explicit statement of values but from a tender demonstration of complex, undeniable humanity.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The image model appears across various elements of the app, including AI Mode for Search, Google Lens, and Circle to Search.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
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Newcastle United’s Dan Burn appears to be the next in line in Tuchel’s thinking, despite only having being capped three times so far.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commences. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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