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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

started

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verb (2)

past tense of start
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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
Experts started spotting the Little Red Dots about three years ago. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Aug. 2025 He’s set to start the All-Star Game in right field on Tuesday night. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
Two batters into his Wednesday start, Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton watched the Cincinnati Reds’ Spencer Steer pop up his 83 mph sweeper for what should have been an easy out. Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025 Mizell recorded 17 receptions for 202 yards and 2 scores in 11 appearances, including three starts, in 2024. Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
That’s quite a feat for a team that started playing football in 1925. Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 The cold of the night had returned, and the baby had started to shiver. Karen Zautyk, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Noun
  • What began as one family’s search for a life in rhythm with the land has bloomed into a thriving village where 70% of the acreage has been protected under a land trust from the beginning.
    Chrissy Tracey, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • San Tan Valley will take local control in July 2026, at the beginning of the next fiscal year.
    Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Maizie and Hunter recently completed undergraduate studies at the University of Idaho, the couple said, and took part in commencement ceremonies as the Chapins beamed.
    Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 14 July 2025
  • Param Pal, a San Jose State University business graduate, was back on campus within a month of commencement for a job fair.
    Sami Khan, Mercury News, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • In less than half a year since its inception, the company secured $2 billion in seed funding in July, reaching a valuation of approximately $12 billion.
    , CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025
  • The Cheval Noir represents the political fight that pushed Montreal to become one of Canada’s most progressive cities — an ideology that’s been at the core of the festival since its inception.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Mortgage rates are certainly a factor among buyers when deciding to make an offer, and home prices are also up more than 50% since the onset of the pandemic, according to the U.S. Case-Shiller Home Price Index.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 31 July 2025
  • According to many of the physicians who spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, video calls’ increasing pervasiveness since the onset of the pandemic in 2020 — termed the Zoom Boom among industry insiders — has been one of the most notable shifts in recent years.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Noun
  • The launch coincides with the upcoming season of Wheel of Fortune, now co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest alongside the legendary Vanna White.
    Moná Thomas, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • The upcoming launch will give ESA another chance to test the new rocket system while also helping to advance climate science.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 8 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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