SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Thesaurus

start

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of start

the point at which something begins

Tom knew from the start of the game that he would win easily.

Synonyms of start

alpha, baseline, beginning, birth, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go (also git-go), inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, threshold

Words Related to start

drawing board, first base, ground zero, square one

creation, founding, inauguration, initiation, institution, origination

cradle, fountain, fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, well, wellspring

dawning, opening

advent, appearance, arrival, debut (also début), emergence

childhood, infancy, youth

Near Antonyms of start

cessation, closing, closure, completion, finale, finish, period, stop, termination, windup

Antonyms of start

close, conclusion, end, ending, omega

start

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of start

1 to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)

I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream.

Synonyms of start

bolt, jump, startle

Words Related to start

jerk, jolt, twitch

blench, cringe, flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, spook, squinch, wince

bound, leap, spring

2 to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of

started the impressionist movement in art

Synonyms of start

begin, constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up

Words Related to start

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

Near Antonyms of start

abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify

end, finish, halt, stop, terminate

round (off or out), wind up, wrap up

Antonyms of start

close (down), phase out, shut (up)

3 to cause to function

trying to start the car on a frigid morning

Synonyms of start

activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, run, set off, spark, touch off, trigger, turn on

Words Related to start

kick over, turn over

charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push

discharge, launch, release, switch, trip

reactivate, recharge

arouse, excite, jump-start, kick-start, stimulate, vitalize

ignite, incite, instigate, provoke, quicken, stir up

accelerate, catalyze, speed (up), step up

Near Antonyms of start

arrest, brake, check, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick, stop

decelerate, repress, slow, stunt, suppress

Antonyms of start

cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off

4 to come into existence

The fire started in the laboratory.

Synonyms of start

actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, spring

Words Related to start

be, breathe, exist, live, subsist

arrive, come on, emerge

coalesce, cohere, shape (up)

continue, endure, last, persist, survive

Near Antonyms of start

conclude, desist, discontinue, finish, halt, quit, terminate

disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish

depart, die, expire, pass away, perish

Antonyms of start

cease, end, stop

5 to extend outward beyond a usual point

frightened horses with starting eyes

Synonyms of start

bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bulge, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pouch, pout, project, protrude, stand out, stick out, swell

Words Related to start

blow up, inflate

dilate, distend, expand

mushroom, snowball

elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch

Near Antonyms of start

compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

6 to take the first step in (a process or course of action)

We'll be ready to start the concert in a moment.

Synonyms of start

begin, commence, embark (on or upon), enter (into or upon), fall (to), get off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, strike (into)

Words Related to start

create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate

adopt, embrace, take on, take up

establish, father, found, institute, organize, pioneer, set up, spawn

get around (to), get down (to), get round (to)

Phrases Synonymous with start

get going, get to, set about

Near Antonyms of start

cease, desist, discontinue, halt, knock off, lay off, quit, stop

close, complete

abandon, forsake, leave

abolish, demolish, destroy, exterminate, extinguish, phase out

Antonyms of start

conclude, end, finish, terminate

Synonym Discussion of start

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 start

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

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up start? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

raillery

play

good-natured ridicule

Words at Play

9 Words from the Magical Realm

When language is magic

alt-5afefa13cc811

A Field Guide to British Noble Titles

Know your Duchess from your Baroness

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

When it doesn't go as planned

alt-5afd9816817c1

Putting the History of 'Limelight' Center Stage

It's, ahem, an illuminating story.

Ask the Editors

video-ghost-words

Ghost Word

The story of an imaginary word that managed to sneak past our editors and enter the dictionary.

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-literally

Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

How familiar are you with Nabokov’s unfamiliar vocabulary?

Take the quiz

cow-coming-home

Farm Idioms Quiz

Not your children's farm quiz.

Take the quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

Take the quiz

Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

Play the game