1
as in jumped
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)
I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in founded
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
started the impressionist movement in art
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in triggered
to cause to function
trying to start the car on a frigid morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in began
to come into existence
the fight started when one child tripped the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in protruded
to extend outward beyond a usual point
frightened horses with starting eyes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in commenced
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of started
The year started with a four-day streak of 70-degree highs; however, Oklahoma will soon see temperatures dip a bit into the mid-50s and 60s at the start of next week, with some parts of the state expecting snow.
—
Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 9 Jan. 2026
Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist, Tanner Jeannot had two assists, and the Boston Bruins started a five-game homestand with a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Born to a long line of musicians and entertainers (their great-grandparents were vaudevillians), Gunnar and Matt started writing music at age 6, shooting to fame in their own right after launching hard rock duo Nelson in the early 1980s.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Landis started his coaching career at Georgetown in 2001 and last season was the head coach at Alpharetta (Georgia) High School.
—Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
Charlotte, which started the season with three victories in its first seven games, had won six of seven before dropping games Saturday and Monday in Cleveland.
—Steve Lyttle, Charlotte Observer, 9 Jan. 2026
Justin Scott started alongside Moten.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The initial symptoms began in early 2024, when Farrington, 45, started to experience dreadful night sweats.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Some fans — though certainly not all — have started to tune out since the Sunflower Showdown defeat.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 9 Jan. 2026
Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist, Tanner Jeannot had two assists, and the Boston Bruins started a five-game homestand with a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Born to a long line of musicians and entertainers (their great-grandparents were vaudevillians), Gunnar and Matt started writing music at age 6, shooting to fame in their own right after launching hard rock duo Nelson in the early 1980s.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Landis started his coaching career at Georgetown in 2001 and last season was the head coach at Alpharetta (Georgia) High School.
—Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
Charlotte, which started the season with three victories in its first seven games, had won six of seven before dropping games Saturday and Monday in Cleveland.
—Steve Lyttle, Charlotte Observer, 9 Jan. 2026
Justin Scott started alongside Moten.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The initial symptoms began in early 2024, when Farrington, 45, started to experience dreadful night sweats.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Some fans — though certainly not all — have started to tune out since the Sunflower Showdown defeat.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for started
Verb
-
Even as Covid-19 disrupted global travel, the length of operational high-speed lines jumped by 40% between 2020 and 2022, from 27,300 to 36,580 miles — most of it in China.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This morning, Nvidia announced an investment of $2 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure provider CoreWeave, whose stock jumped 8% on the news.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The brunch also shone a spotlight on the fellows of the ReFrame Rise program, a fellowship co-founded by WIF and Sundance Institute that supports 10 mid-career directors and cinematographers, all of whom were present at the event.—
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The internet and Black art triggered awe for completely different, profound reasons.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That violation should have triggered a license revocation, but it was found to have never happened.—
Megan De Mar,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The protest comes amid ongoing unrest in Iran, where demonstrations that began over economic grievances have spread nationwide, evolving into a direct challenge to Iran's clerical leadership.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Using products by celeb-favorite skin care brand iS Clinical, Flores began by cleansing Williams' skin with the lightweight Cleansing Complex before spraying his skin with a Copper Firming Mist.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, blood was pouring out of Good’s left ear immediately after the shooting, and tissue protruded from the left side of her head, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported last week.—
Theresa Braine,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Spider-y lash extensions protruded from her lash line, reaching to the bottom of her brows; a thin wing of black liner was drawn from the outer corners of her eyes.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That all changed Wednesday evening, when the Metro Mesa League opener commenced between the two schools at Olympian.—
Breven Honda,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
On Monday, Robbie revealed her natural curls as the Wuthering Heights press tour commenced.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, established in 1987, lists worldwide suicide bereavement support groups as a public service to loss survivors.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
But the center re-established his dominance against the smaller Warriors on Monday, finishing with 15 points and 17 rebounds while serving as a significant deterrent on the defensive interior.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Consulate activated its emergency protocols, the ministry stated.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Where to find warming centers around Philadelphia Philadelphia has activated an Enhanced Code Blue due to the extremely cold temperatures.—
Bill Kelly,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Started.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/started. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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