1
as in begins
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
commence the festivities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Looking back at Barber, Spark commences some light back-pedaling.
—
Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
There are still a couple of questions to be answered though even as construction commences on the 67,500-capacity facility, which will be next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of downtown Cleveland.
—CBS News, 1 May 2026
Falling back to the pack and seven points shy of San Jose, which won 4-1 at BMO Stadium on Sunday, LAFC has seen its recent MLS stumbles coincide with advancing to a two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, which commences Wednesday at BMO Stadium and ends May 6 in Toluca, Mexico.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The new pact commences on January 2027 after Butterworth’s current deal with Paramount wraps up at the end of the year.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
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
If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.
—Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
The strike will last until the union and the school district come to an agreement, which could mean hours or several days after the picket commences Thursday morning.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
There are still a couple of questions to be answered though even as construction commences on the 67,500-capacity facility, which will be next to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of downtown Cleveland.
—CBS News, 1 May 2026
Falling back to the pack and seven points shy of San Jose, which won 4-1 at BMO Stadium on Sunday, LAFC has seen its recent MLS stumbles coincide with advancing to a two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, which commences Wednesday at BMO Stadium and ends May 6 in Toluca, Mexico.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The new pact commences on January 2027 after Butterworth’s current deal with Paramount wraps up at the end of the year.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
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
If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.
—Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
The strike will last until the union and the school district come to an agreement, which could mean hours or several days after the picket commences Thursday morning.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commences
Verb
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Denver Public Schools will prohibit all students from using cellphones during school hours when the 2026-27 academic year begins in August.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
The requirement, which Newsom enacted by executive order in March 2025, begins July 1 and requires all state workers to work in the office at least four days a week.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Caffeine starts to work within an hour and typically lasts four to six hours.—
Patty Weasler,
Verywell Health,
9 June 2026
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And once the gate agent starts calling for volunteers or selecting passengers to deny boarding, late check-ins are often at the top of the list.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Some have also raised pointed questions about whether BPC-157 originates in the human body at all.—
Sara Talpos — Undark,
STAT,
1 June 2026
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But there is also the possibility that the neutrino originates from a diffuse flux produced by a population of extreme accelerators, such as blazars.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
That's typically where confusion arises.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
If such an opportunity arises, producers would be well served by bringing this entire exceptional cast out east to perform it.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
So while on paper Mecklenburg’s child care system appears relatively stable — roughly 500 licensed providers, a net gain of licensed slots last year, no mass wave of closures — Hazeldine says that’s an incomplete picture.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
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But rather than addressing them, Kennedy appears to be attempting to push vaccine compensation on to the civil court system—and, potentially, expose drug makers to unlimited liability.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commences. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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