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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
Disney’s earnings won’t reflect any financial hit from the carriage fight, which started after the late-September end to the quarter, but execs are likely to offer comments on the situation. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025 If not, Simmons will start Joe Pesansky, who started his first FBS game last week and led FIU to a 56-30 win over Middle Tennessee State. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
Matsuda got his start as a Story Artist for Disney Animation, working on modern classics including Zootopia and Big Hero 6. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2025 The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the top teams in the Western Conference, and their strong start may motivate the front office to become more aggressive ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
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

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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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