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as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream

Synonyms & Similar Words

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start

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word start different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of start are begin, commence, inaugurate, initiate, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How is begin related to other words for start?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How does the word commence relate to other synonyms for start?

Commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When could inaugurate be used to replace start?

The meanings of inaugurate and start largely overlap; however, inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

In what contexts can initiate take the place of start?

Although the words initiate and start have much in common, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

How are the words usher in and inaugurate related as synonyms of start?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Example Sentences

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 start
Verb
The Nationals ambushed Mazur to start the game. Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025 The new Song Sung Blue trailer starts with all the pep and energy of a feel-good music film as Mike (Jackman) and Claire (Hudson) bond over their desire to entertain people. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
Katrina remains the costliest storm on record in the United States and recovery has come in fits and starts. Reena Advani, NPR, 1 Sep. 2025 Yamamoto continues to hum along, all while tying a career high with his 26th start. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Verb
  • Because, immediately, journeyman Jones threw five passes on the first five plays to began attacking the NFL’s weakest starting cornerbacks — a situation too obvious for the club to have gone the entire offseason not doing enough to remedy.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
  • To counter the explosive projectiles, Russian tank crews began mounting homemade cages above their turrets to cushion the tanks from blasts.
    Marco Hernandez, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Littell would finish six innings before the battle of the bullpens commenced.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Indeed, pricing may commence prior to the earnings announcement.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The roots of my family tree are firmly established in the soil of Great Britain.
    Elizabeth Bass Parman, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Period-appropriate musical elements will help establish the nostalgic atmosphere.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • By that point though, United had activated on signing Senne Lammens.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Follow the link above to activate the best FanDuel promo code offer.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The typical price of a single-family home in the United States is about $368,000, jumping roughly 13% over the past 5 years and 38% over the last decade, the ABC News data team found.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Oracle said that revenue this fiscal year in that business will jump 77% to $18 billion from $10 billion in the last year.
    Ari Levy, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sharks are often imagined cruising just beneath the waves, dorsal fin protruding from the dark, ocean waters to alert people of their incoming doom.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Hammer four nails about an inch apart into a cross shape at the center of your board so that the heads protrude at least an inch.
    Peter Barrett, Outside, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The beginning of the evening was marked by an intimate performance on behalf of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • And targeting, torturing, and murdering political opponents, rivals, and critics have marked the conflict since its beginning.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Hurricane Lane in 2018, spawned by a tropical wave that originated in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, eventually became only the fifth Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale on record in the Central Pacific Basin, according to a hurricane center report.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The new charges originate from that fall, before Rodriguez-Singh left for India, according to the indictment.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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