INITIATOR Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

initiator

noun

as in founder

a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor as the initiator of printing from movable type, Gutenberg revolutionized people's access to written language

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of initiator Reaching out to express gratitude, offer help, or simply listen is consistently rated as more rewarding by the recipient than the initiator expects. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Repurposing a prototype One of the scientists, and the initiator of the record-creating project, was Pierre Léna. — Dhananjay Khadilkar, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 On the flip side, having multiple initiators on offense can also be big, and Reaves next to Dončić makes sense in that respect. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 1 July 2026 The researchers used liquid metal particles (LMPs) as initiators for polymerization, the chemical process used to form the hydrogel network. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026 His top recommendation for the latter was Pitzock, the restaurant run by his uncle Oskar Messner, one of the initiators of the Slow Food movement in the valley and among the most knowledgeable sources in the region on local ingredients and tradition. — Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2026 Los Angeles also employed Luke Kennard as a ballhandler and initiator, and guard Marcus Smart is back after missing nearly three weeks with a right ankle injury. — ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 Peterson is breathtakingly talented as a scorer and on-ball initiator, but health concerns have marred an otherwise impressive freshman season. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026 History suggests that wars aimed at reshaping political systems hardly ever unfold as their initiators intend. — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for initiator

Noun

The founders of Nova Roots Academy, the Hot Springs microschool that shut down without warning in late July, have been located by law enforcement in Florida.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2026
Meanwhile, Joe Gerrity, CEO and co-founder of hemp beverage manufacturer Crescent Canna, said his company has already laid off half of its employees because of how congressional inaction has affected the business this year.

— Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of founder

Noun

The Schenley Plaza market will continue on the first Sunday of each month through October, giving shoppers several more chances this season to explore Pittsburgh's growing community of small businesses and independent creators.

— Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Know More The new effort by Crooked Ideas is one of many pushes by progressives to elevate the creator ecosystem in the wake of the 2024 presidential election.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of creator

Noun

The prizes’ name is a reference to Ignatius (Ig) Nobel—a fictional character said to be a distant cousin of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, for whom the Nobel Prizes are named—and is also a pun on the word ignoble.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
Fortuny was founded in 1921 by artist and inventor Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of inventor

Noun

The authors would like to thank HKU Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science for providing research funding informing this article.

— Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
Rose, an Atlanta chef, cookbook author and television personality, isn’t relying on the barbecue sauce to do all the work.

— Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of author

Noun

The Sosa siblings’ father, along with his two other sons and an uncle, set off to the Bahamas immediately on Monday afternoon to start searching themselves via boat.

— Alex Harris Updated September 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
His interview subjects range from people who worked with Musk at various companies and in the government to people who knew him intimately, including his father, Errol.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of father

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“Initiator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initiator. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of initiator

noun

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