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initiate

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of initiate

1 to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
  • no one knows who initiated written language
Synonyms of initiate

begin, constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up, start
Words Related to initiate

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 initiate

abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify

end, finish, halt, stop, terminate

round (off or out), wind up, wrap up
Antonyms of initiate

close (down), phase out, shut (up)
2 to impart knowledge of a new thing or situation to
  • initiated the new recruits in the unspoken laws of military conduct
Synonyms of initiate

accustom, acquaint, familiarize, introduce, orient, orientate
Words Related to initiate

habituate, wont

apprise, brief, clue (in), fill in, inform

educate, enlighten, ground, instruct, school, train, verse

expose, present, subject

advise, tell, tip (off), warn, wise (up)

reacquaint
3 to put into an office or welcome into an organization with special ceremonies
  • initiated her as Surgeon General before an army of reporters and photographers
Synonyms of initiate

baptize, inaugurate, induct, install, instate, invest, seat
Words Related to initiate

swear in

consecrate, enshrine

accept, admit, receive, take in

enlist, enroll (also enrol)
Near Antonyms of initiate

can, discharge, fire, terminate

muster out

Synonym Discussion of initiate

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 initiate

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

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