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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
Fans waited for the buses that carried the heroes of that year’s Stanley Cup-winning team; as soon as a bus turned a corner and the players came close enough to be recognizable, fans started shouting their names, yelling joyfully. Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025 Before her second trial even started, Read had $5 million of deferred legal bills, according to the magazine. Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 21 June 2025
Noun
Dylan Cease’s quality start was that much sturdier. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025 But Kikuchi blanked the Astros on four hits, striking out nine and walking none, for the rest of his seven-inning, 103-pitch start to give the Angels a chance to come back. Mike Digiovanna, Oc Register, 21 June 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
  • Where To Spend, Who To Support From its humble beginnings to becoming a worldwide celebration, Pride has always been political.
    Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • After missing four games due to a concussion and an illness at the beginning of June, Bueckers has been on a tear.
    Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • Alternative starting points could include the presentation of renderings, an application for permits, the purchasing of building supplies or the commencement of construction.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 June 2025
  • Harvard University graduates attend the university’s 374th commencement ceremony on May 29, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
    Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Since its inception, in 2000, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which works with local governments to bring vaccines to low-income countries, has helped administer 1.9 billion vaccines and reached a billion children.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 27 June 2025
  • Ross has been a foundational voice for AEW since its inception.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • In the five years prior to the onset of the pandemic, the overall crime rate sat between 8 and 9.5 acts per 1,000 students.
    Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025
  • Since then, city leaders added hundreds of new employees and, since the onset of the COVID pandemic, relied on one-time funding to balance the books.
    Daniel Borenstein, Mercury News, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • In contrast, Iran’s unprecedented launch of hundreds of missiles and drones deliberately targets Israeli civilians — firing at major cities, neighborhoods and population centers, aiming to murder as many innocent people as possible — Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.
    Laurence Milstein, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025
  • But Washington retains the sole authority to order a nuclear launch.
    FLORENCE GAUB, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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