start 1 of 3

Definition of startnext
1
2
3
4
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

6

start

2 of 3

noun

started

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of start
1
2
3
4
5
6

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
Seeds can be sown directly or started indoors. Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2026 Washington had won five of seven games entering Wednesday after starting the season 3-20. CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
Stroud to a concussion for four games midseason and rally from an 0-3 start to make the postseason for a third straight season. CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026 Behind the dry line Tuesday, drier air will move into Central Texas, leading to a slightly cooler start Wednesday under mostly to partly cloudy skies. Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
But such an award started with a premonition from him and his head coach, Moehrig said. Alex Zietlow november 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025 Those stories have started travelling better to other nations in the CEE region like the Czech Republic and Romania, according to Kłuskiewicz, who cited projects like High Water and sports movie Boxer. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Noun
  • From its beginning, the leaders of the rebellion well understood the global reach and resonance of their great struggle.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • But that was the beginning of everything for both of us.
    Karen Taylor Bass, Billboard, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Moore delivered a commencement address at Lincoln University in Gettysburg in May, the same month Gallego and Khanna paid their own visits.
    Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The actor previously gave a commencement speech at the college in 2021.
    Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Since its inception in 2013, the festival has taken place in Los Angeles in the fall, showcasing speculative cinema from around the globe.
    Andrew McGowan, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Since its inception, IEEPA has been invoked 69 times, and no president has ever used it to impose tariffs.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Beijing nearly doubled the rate of expansion at missile production sites in the two years that followed the onset of the war, according to CNN’s satellite imagery analysis of constructed floorspace.
    Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Amid the second surge of the virus, in August 2020, the first ‘covid novel’ arrived—Ali Smith’s Summer, the last of a seasonal quartet, written during Britain’s early lockdown, which includes real-time descriptions of the pandemic’s onset.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Much like Blue Origin’s chief competitor, SpaceX — which has long been a dominant force in the commercial launch business — Blue Origin rockets are designed to be partially reused in order to drive down costs.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The latter has grown into a dominant force in pay-TV, racking up 10 million subscribers just eight years after its launch.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on start

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!