1
as in jumping
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)
I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in establishing
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
started the impressionist movement in art
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in activating
to cause to function
trying to start the car on a frigid morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in commencing
to come into existence
the fight started when one child tripped the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
frightened horses with starting eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in launching
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in beginning
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of starting
Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
After playing an important role defensively and offensively in Monday’s comeback win against the Atlanta Braves, Crow-Armstrong wasn’t in the starting lineup Tuesday to face Atlanta left-hander Joey Wentz.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
The hope was that Rodri’s return to the starting lineup after injury would give Manchester City control in the centre of the pitch, but the Seagulls played in quick transition and were well worth their 2-1 victory.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
However, Merrill's minutes have gradually increased over his five-year career, and the organization believes in his ability to step into the starting lineup and thrive in Strus's absence.
—Gavin Groe, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Rupert returns Both Hayes (rest) and Rupert (concussion) were back in the starting lineup after missing Tuesday’s game at Chase Center.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2025
Schroder is a 31-year-old point guard who will step into the starting lineup in Sacramento after the Kings traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in February.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2025
All nine players in the starting lineup reached base at least once.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Up front, Jared Wilson returned to the starting lineup at left guard after getting demoted last Saturday in Minnesota.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
The season-starting installment showed the duo arriving in London only to find a single living person remaining in the form of Stephen Merchant’s Julian.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
Six head coaches made their debuts with their new teams; two, the Raiders’ Pete Carroll and the Jaguars’ Liam Cohen, earned a victory, with the Bears’ Ben Johnson starting his season Monday night against the Vikings.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The paddlers selected for the Klamath journey completed a rigorous three-year regimen, starting with a two-and-a-half-week kayak and river advocacy training program for 15 Indigenous youths from the Klamath Basin, followed by weekend kayaking trips and kayak roll training.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
While starting might be out of the question, now everyone has their eyes on who will be Wilson's backup.
—Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Keep scrolling to check out the best slipper deals at Amazon starting at just $10.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Northwestern had one of the worst offenses in the FBS last season and was looking for a spark from Stone, who replaced Jack Lausch, last year’s starting quarterback who left to focus on baseball.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
This is a big difference between building a new business inside a corporate and starting a venture-back startup.
—Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
This time around, Caglianone isn’t guaranteed a starting role.
—Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
After playing an important role defensively and offensively in Monday’s comeback win against the Atlanta Braves, Crow-Armstrong wasn’t in the starting lineup Tuesday to face Atlanta left-hander Joey Wentz.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
The hope was that Rodri’s return to the starting lineup after injury would give Manchester City control in the centre of the pitch, but the Seagulls played in quick transition and were well worth their 2-1 victory.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
However, Merrill's minutes have gradually increased over his five-year career, and the organization believes in his ability to step into the starting lineup and thrive in Strus's absence.
—Gavin Groe, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
Rupert returns Both Hayes (rest) and Rupert (concussion) were back in the starting lineup after missing Tuesday’s game at Chase Center.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2025
Schroder is a 31-year-old point guard who will step into the starting lineup in Sacramento after the Kings traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in February.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2025
All nine players in the starting lineup reached base at least once.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Up front, Jared Wilson returned to the starting lineup at left guard after getting demoted last Saturday in Minnesota.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Because, immediately, journeyman Jones threw five passes on the first five plays to began attacking the NFL’s weakest starting cornerbacks — a situation too obvious for the club to have gone the entire offseason not doing enough to remedy.
—Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
The season-starting installment showed the duo arriving in London only to find a single living person remaining in the form of Stephen Merchant’s Julian.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
Six head coaches made their debuts with their new teams; two, the Raiders’ Pete Carroll and the Jaguars’ Liam Cohen, earned a victory, with the Bears’ Ben Johnson starting his season Monday night against the Vikings.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
The paddlers selected for the Klamath journey completed a rigorous three-year regimen, starting with a two-and-a-half-week kayak and river advocacy training program for 15 Indigenous youths from the Klamath Basin, followed by weekend kayaking trips and kayak roll training.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
While starting might be out of the question, now everyone has their eyes on who will be Wilson's backup.
—Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Keep scrolling to check out the best slipper deals at Amazon starting at just $10.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Northwestern had one of the worst offenses in the FBS last season and was looking for a spark from Stone, who replaced Jack Lausch, last year’s starting quarterback who left to focus on baseball.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
This is a big difference between building a new business inside a corporate and starting a venture-back startup.
—Andrew Binns, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for starting
Verb
-
The performance had the crowd jumping thanks to his enthusiastic delivery.—
Stacy Lambe,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Throughout the story there are hints of ways Leo’s police department colleagues are sending him into retirement, including a cop jumping out of a cake wearing only a thong.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Oz aired for six seasons, establishing HBO as a home for serious adult dramas, and establishing Winters’s screen image, as well — that captivating blend of menace and vulnerability.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The risk with this approach is that Harvard would live to fight another day, but become complicit in establishing a precedent that goes against the fundamental rights inherent in our democracy.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That’s why activating existing natural strengths not only boosts the leader’s self-confidence but also instills trust in the team.—
Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
For example, one brain imaging study found that activating opioid receptors in the hypothalamus (often called the control coordinating center of the brain) partially helped with resetting the body’s internal temperature for postmenopausal women.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
All the while, much of the growth in the stock market is driven by tech and AI stocks, especially a massive nationwide investment in data centers, with many investors beginning to see signs of a bubble that may end up popping before any other shoes drop.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Jackman keeps that inheritance intact, similarly flipping the romantic tale script by beginning not with flirtation or longing, but with a wedding.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Sharks are often imagined cruising just beneath the waves, dorsal fin protruding from the dark, ocean waters to alert people of their incoming doom.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Eventually, the villager spotted something unexpected—the nearly complete cranium of an unknown, ancient hominin protruding from a small chamber’s interior wall.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The rebate checks were issued for three consecutive years, commencing in 1999.—
Robert Goulder,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Subsequently, Liddell highlights the importance of entrepreneurs commencing their journey with clear goals in place.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
After the initial outcry, Sanders continued jetting himself around the country.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Before The Beatles and before football came the docks, once the beating heart of Liverpool and the catalyst for the city’s initial growth and prosperity.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
DanceWorks Chicago, a longtime incubator that wrote the book on springboarding early career performers, plans to sunset at the end of the year, aligned with founding artistic director Julie Nakagawa’s retirement.—
Lauren Warnecke,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
That’s exactly the sort of work that Jason Wiggam, a founding partner of Wiggam Law in Atlanta, Georgia, does.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Starting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/starting. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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