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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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show current usage.
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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
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Across 33 non-College Football Playoff games, viewership jumped 13% year-over-year.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
-
This year, enrollment jumped to nearly 87%, up from just over 60% the previous year.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
However, former Federal Air Marshal Peter Johnson — who founded Archway Defense, which has trained state, local and federal law enforcement in firearms for the past decade — told WCCO the street is not the place to challenge a federal agent's orders.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Brooklyn is also one of several franchises that have centralized video storage, search and distribution workflows through ScorePlay, a startup founded in France, headquartered in New York and growing in the NBA.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The negative reviews — some going as far as calling All’s Fair the worst show ever with the worst acting — triggered a new media cycle of stories.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
This triggered a state law requiring the campus to either be closed or for the school board to be replaced with a board of managers.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Satellite television brought a plethora of choice into the living room, Western brands began to appear in shops and, for a burgeoning middle class, the definition of success was suddenly rewritten.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Rayo began 2023-24 well under Iraola’s successor Francisco Rodriguez but then started to falter.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
-
His bones visibly protruded from his thin skin, according to court documents.—
Ryan Murphy,
IndyStar,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And so, shortly after his startling, spirit-lifting victory in the primary last spring, the gentle flood of inquiries commenced.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Though their time on DWTS commenced nearly two decades ago, Julianne, who joined a season before Derek, remembered their playful competitiveness stirring up even further back.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Still, the identity of an offense that amassed more regular-season yardage (6,282) than any of the previous 105 Bears teams was established up front, with a tenacious line and the kind of aggressive running game Johnson embraces.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Although United Van Lines examined more than 100,000 moves, its customers tend to be established homeowners with families who can afford a full-service mover.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And that was several weeks before Johnson pulled his shirt off after a statement 24-15 Black Friday victory over the Eagles, some spur-of-the-moment rambunctiousness that activated a free hot dog promotion at The Wiener’s Circle in Chicago.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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The school activated a hold-in-place, Granadillo explained, keeping students from leaving the classroom.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Started.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/started. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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