Synonyms of start

start 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈstärt 

1

as in to begin

to come into existence

the fight started when one child tripped the other

Synonyms & Similar Words

• begin
• commence
• originate
• appear
• arise
• be
• emerge
• form
• arrive
• set in
• spring
• materialize
• break
• exist
• live
• last
• dawn
• continue
• actualize
• engender
• breathe
• survive
• come on
• persist
• subsist
• endure
• shape (up)
• coalesce
• cohere

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stop
• end
• cease
• finish
• conclude
• quit
• terminate
• discontinue
• halt
• disappear
• die
• dissolve
• vanish
• depart
• desist
• expire
• evaporate
• perish
• pass away

2

as in to commence

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

• begin
• commence
• open
• launch
• found
• fall (to)
• set about
• create
• get going
• enter (into or upon)
• embark (on or upon)
• strike (into)
• get off
• initiate
• get to
• lead off
• organize
• generate
• establish
• kick off
• originate
• adopt
• invent
• inaugurate
• pioneer
• institute
• innovate
• take up
• take on
• embrace
• spawn
• get down (to)
• get around (to)
• set up
• father
• get round (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• end
• finish
• stop
• conclude
• terminate
• cease
• quit
• discontinue
• complete
• halt
• close
• leave
• abandon
• lay off
• desist
• destroy
• abolish
• knock off
• extinguish
• forsake
• phase out
• exterminate
• demolish

3

as in to establish

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

started the impressionist movement in art

Synonyms & Similar Words

• establish
• initiate
• found
• pioneer
• launch
• begin
• introduce
• create
• institute
• inaugurate
• plant
• constitute
• construct
• organize
• originate
• innovate
• set up
• develop
• invent
• author
• produce
• devise
• manufacture
• think (up)
• conceive
• expand
• fund
• make up
• cook (up)
• finance
• contrive
• concoct
• enlarge
• father
• arrange
• subsidize
• endow
• fabricate
• systematize
• reinitiate
• put up
• relaunch
• reinstitute
• systemize
• refound

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• close (down)
• shut (up)
• stop
• end
• finish
• abolish
• nullify
• terminate
• phase out
• annul
• halt
• annihilate
• wind up
• round (off or out)
• wrap up

4

as in to activate

to cause to function

trying to start the car on a frigid morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

• activate
• trigger
• spark
• drive
• move
• power
• generate
• set off
• run
• fuel
• ignite
• provoke
• turn on
• actuate
• push
• charge
• touch off
• launch
• crank (up)
• fire
• stimulate
• switch
• energize
• electrify
• release
• trip
• turn over
• accelerate
• reactivate
• kick over
• discharge
• kick-start
• instigate
• jump-start
• recharge
• quicken
• incite
• stir up
• excite
• arouse
• catalyze
• step up
• vitalize
• speed (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cut
• kill
• stop
• shut off
• cut out
• check
• turn off
• stick
• cut off
• halt
• brake
• arrest
• draw up
• deactivate
• slow
• suppress
• stall
• jam
• repress
• decelerate
• stunt

5

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

• jump
• leap
• cringe
• wince
• flinch
• startle
• bolt
• twitch
• jerk
• react
• bound
• respond
• spring
• shrink
• recoil
• spook
• jolt
• quail
• blench
• squinch

6

as in to protrude

to extend outward beyond a usual point

frightened horses with starting eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• protrude
• poke
• stand out
• project
• jut
• bulge
• swell
• stick out
• bunch
• extend
• pout
• overhang
• balloon
• pouch
• billow
• lengthen
• pooch
• belly
• stretch
• dome
• expand
• beetle
• bag
• inflate
• dilate
• snowball
• distend
• elongate
• blow up
• mushroom

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• shrink
• contract
• compress
• condense
• constrict

start

2 of 3

noun

as in beginning

the point at which something begins

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• beginning
• commencement
• inception
• onset
• launch
• alpha
• outset
• dawn
• genesis
• baseline
• morning
• threshold
• birth
• kickoff
• infancy
• day one
• initiation
• get-go
• inauguration
• founding
• origination
• incipiency
• origin
• incipience
• nascence
• nascency
• spring
• first base
• opening
• arrival
• drawing board
• creation
• debut
• emergence
• well
• source
• ground zero
• institution
• germ
• cradle
• fountain
• dawning
• advent
• square one
• childhood
• root
• appearance
• seedbed
• youth
• fountainhead
• wellspring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• end
• close
• conclusion
• ending
• period
• stop
• finish
• completion
• closing
• termination
• closure
• cessation
• omega
• finale
• windup

started

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of start

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

• jumped
• leaped
• cringed
• winced
• startled
• bolted
• flinched
• jerked
• twitched
• reacted
• responded
• sprang
• recoiled
• spooked
• jolted
• shrank
• bounded
• blenched
• quailed
• squinched

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

• founded
• established
• initiated
• pioneered
• introduced
• launched
• began
• created
• instituted
• inaugurated
• planted
• constituted
• originated
• organized
• constructed
• innovated
• developed
• invented
• set up
• devised
• authored
• produced
• conceived
• thought (up)
• manufactured
• expanded
• made up
• funded
• concocted
• cooked (up)
• financed
• enlarged
• fathered
• contrived
• arranged
• fabricated
• endowed
• subsidized
• relaunched
• systematized
• reinitiated
• reinstituted
• put up
• systemized
• refounded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• closed (down)
• shut (up)
• stopped
• finished
• ended
• abolished
• terminated
• halted
• phased out
• nullified
• annulled
• annihilated
• rounded (off or out)
• wrapped up
• wound up

3

as in triggered

to cause to function

trying to start the car on a frigid morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

• triggered
• activated
• sparked
• drove
• moved
• powered
• generated
• fueled
• ignited
• ran
• set off
• provoked
• pushed
• turned on
• touched off
• actuated
• charged
• launched
• cranked (up)
• fired
• switched
• electrified
• released
• stimulated
• energized
• turned over
• excited
• reactivated
• discharged
• accelerated
• tripped
• instigated
• aroused
• kick-started
• kicked over
• incited
• recharged
• jump-started
• stirred up
• catalyzed
• quickened
• stepped up
• sped (up)
• vitalized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• killed
• cut
• stopped
• shut off
• cut out
• turned off
• checked
• stuck
• arrested
• halted
• stalled
• cut off
• jammed
• drew up
• deactivated
• slowed
• suppressed
• stunted
• braked
• repressed
• decelerated

4

as in began

to come into existence

the fight started when one child tripped the other

Synonyms & Similar Words

• began
• commenced
• originated
• arose
• appeared
• was
• formed
• emerged
• arrived
• sprang
• dawned
• set in
• materialized
• engendered
• existed
• broke
• lived
• actualized
• continued
• lasted
• breathed
• persisted
• came on
• survived
• subsisted
• endured
• shaped (up)
• coalesced
• cohered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stopped
• ended
• ceased
• finished
• concluded
• terminated
• halted
• discontinued
• quit
• disappeared
• died
• dissolved
• vanished
• evaporated
• desisted
• departed
• expired
• passed away
• perished

5

as in protruded

to extend outward beyond a usual point

frightened horses with starting eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• protruded
• poked
• bulged
• swelled
• projected
• stood out
• ballooned
• stuck out
• jutted
• bunched
• billowed
• pouted
• pouched
• pooched
• extended
• bellied
• overhung
• beetled
• bagged
• stretched
• lengthened
• snowballed
• expanded
• mushroomed
• inflated
• dilated
• distended
• elongated
• blew up
• domed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• contracted
• compressed
• condensed
• shrank
• constricted

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

• began
• commenced
• opened
• launched
• created
• fell (to)
• initiated
• entered (into or upon)
• set about
• embarked (on or upon)
• struck (into)
• got to
• got off
• organized
• got going
• established
• adopted
• led off
• generated
• originated
• founded
• kicked off
• invented
• inaugurated
• instituted
• pioneered
• spawned
• innovated
• embraced
• took up
• took on
• set up
• fathered
• got down (to)
• got around (to)
• got round (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ended
• finished
• concluded
• stopped
• terminated
• ceased
• completed
• halted
• discontinued
• quit
• laid off
• closed
• left
• abandoned
• desisted
• destroyed
• knocked off
• abolished
• extinguished
• demolished
• forsook
• phased out
• exterminated

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

Recent Examples of start

Verb

Hyundai Metaplant behind-scenes-tour as the plant prepares to start a second shift and a second production line. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 6 July 2026

Trailing 9-5, Zack Gelof singled off Pete Fairbanks to start the ninth and Butler followed with a double. — Miami Herald, 6 July 2026

Noun

Honeywell Aerospace business is off to a strong start thanks to a big move over the past three sessions. — Jeff Marks,morgan Chittum, CNBC, 6 July 2026

In his only other start against the Royals, in 2023, Sanchez surrendered six earned runs in five innings. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026

Verb

The Lakers started reloading their draft assets by trading Deandre Ayton on Friday, shipping the big man to Washington for Jaden Hardy and second-round draft picks in 2031 and 2032. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Swift and Kelce started dating in the summer of 2023 and got engaged last August. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Phrases Containing start

• to start with