Synonyms of starting

starting 1 of 2

adjective

as in beginning

Related Words

• beginning
• initial
• opening
• first
• earliest
• pioneer
• original
• inaugural
• foremost
• maiden
• primary
• leadoff
• headmost
• eminent
• premier
• superior

Dissimilar Words

• last
• final
• latter
• concluding
• latest
• following
• terminal
• ultimate
• succeeding
• lag
• closing
• terminating
• eventual
• ensuing
• consequent
• rearmost
• hindmost
• bottommost
• crowning
• decisive
• conclusive
• definitive

starting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of start

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

• jumping
• leaping
• cringing
• wincing
• startling
• bolting
• flinching
• twitching
• jerking
• reacting
• responding
• springing
• shrinking
• recoiling
• jolting
• bounding
• blenching
• spooking
• quailing
• squinching

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

• establishing
• founding
• initiating
• launching
• introducing
• creating
• beginning
• pioneering
• instituting
• inaugurating
• planting
• constructing
• constituting
• originating
• organizing
• innovating
• developing
• producing
• setting up
• inventing
• devising
• manufacturing
• authoring
• expanding
• thinking (up)
• cooking (up)
• conceiving
• funding
• enlarging
• financing
• making up
• concocting
• subsidizing
• fathering
• arranging
• contriving
• fabricating
• endowing
• relaunching
• systematizing
• reinitiating
• reinstituting
• putting up
• refounding
• systemizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• closing (down)
• shutting (up)
• ending
• finishing
• abolishing
• phasing out
• stopping
• terminating
• halting
• nullifying
• annihilating
• annulling
• winding up
• rounding (off or out)
• wrapping up

3

as in activating

to cause to function

trying to start the car on a frigid morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

• activating
• triggering
• sparking
• driving
• moving
• generating
• powering
• fueling
• running
• pushing
• setting off
• igniting
• turning on
• charging
• provoking
• touching off
• launching
• actuating
• firing
• cranking (up)
• switching
• releasing
• electrifying
• energizing
• turning over
• stimulating
• accelerating
• tripping
• discharging
• reactivating
• exciting
• kicking over
• recharging
• inciting
• kick-starting
• instigating
• stirring up
• jump-starting
• quickening
• arousing
• catalyzing
• stepping up
• vitalizing
• speeding (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cutting
• killing
• stopping
• checking
• sticking
• cutting out
• shutting off
• turning off
• halting
• arresting
• cutting off
• stalling
• braking
• drawing up
• slowing
• jamming
• deactivating
• suppressing
• repressing
• decelerating
• stunting

4

as in commencing

to come into existence

the fight started when one child tripped the other

Synonyms & Similar Words

• beginning
• commencing
• originating
• appearing
• arising
• being
• forming
• arriving
• emerging
• springing
• existing
• living
• breaking
• dawning
• continuing
• actualizing
• materializing
• setting in
• lasting
• engendering
• breathing
• surviving
• coming on
• subsisting
• persisting
• shaping (up)
• coalescing
• enduring
• cohering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ending
• stopping
• ceasing
• finishing
• terminating
• concluding
• discontinuing
• halting
• quitting
• disappearing
• vanishing
• dying
• dissolving
• evaporating
• departing
• desisting
• expiring
• passing away
• perishing

5

as in protruding

to extend outward beyond a usual point

frightened horses with starting eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• protruding
• poking
• projecting
• bulging
• standing out
• swelling
• jutting
• sticking out
• bunching
• extending
• pouting
• billowing
• ballooning
• overhanging
• bagging
• bellying
• pooching
• pouching
• stretching
• beetling
• expanding
• lengthening
• inflating
• snowballing
• mushrooming
• dilating
• distending
• doming
• elongating
• blowing up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• contracting
• shrinking
• condensing
• compressing
• constricting

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

• beginning
• commencing
• launching
• opening
• falling (to)
• creating
• entering (into or upon)
• initiating
• striking (into)
• embarking (on or upon)
• getting off
• organizing
• generating
• getting to
• originating
• establishing
• getting going
• leading off
• adopting
• setting about
• kicking off
• inventing
• inaugurating
• founding
• instituting
• spawning
• innovating
• pioneering
• embracing
• taking up
• taking on
• fathering
• setting up
• getting down (to)
• getting around (to)
• getting round (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ending
• finishing
• stopping
• terminating
• concluding
• ceasing
• discontinuing
• completing
• halting
• closing
• leaving
• quitting
• laying off
• abandoning
• destroying
• desisting
• knocking off
• abolishing
• forsaking
• extinguishing
• exterminating
• demolishing
• phasing out

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of starting

Adjective

The Heat again went with the starting lineup of Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Antetokounmpo and Adebayo on Saturday. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026

The forward got a warm greeting from the fans, who welcomed him in the starting lineup with a loud roar. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

But the starting assumption of these debates is that responsible business conduct legislation is inherently costly, and that weakening EU legislation and prohibiting more ambitious member state laws will reduce those costs. — Ben Vanpeperstraete, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Antonacci stood out as the team’s sparkplug, but was not in the starting lineup for two of the ALDS games. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026

Stewart rejoined teammates this week and was in the starting lineup Saturday. — ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026

The Hawks continue to test out different lineups, moving Aaron Wiggins into the starting lineup in place of Jalen Johnson (rest). — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026

McDowell, who was in the starting lineup for his Demon Deacons debut, hit 3 of 8 shots versus Georgetown. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026

If either misses significant time, Barron could move into a starting role alongside Abrams-Draine. — Sam Jane, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026

Verb

Gonsolin, 32, will compete for a spot in the Royals’ starting rotation next season. — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026

The United States has starting making arrangements to prepare its key bases to operate for at least 3 months without outside support. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026

Tankers carrying Russian diesel are sailing to the United States, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Atlanta starting Friday, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. — Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

The men stopped short of signing the oath required for vouching, but Moriarty said that giving false names and starting the process was enough to justify the felony charges. — Mark Vancleave, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

So said Kerstin Dorst, who joined Hugo Boss as senior vice president of the womenswear business unit in January and is resetting the category starting with its fall 2027 offering. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026

Harvard Health’s advice on coping with holiday grief suggests adjusting celebrations or starting new rituals when the old ones feel too heavy. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2026

Politicians are starting to listen Several politicians who once wooed the industry have reversed course. — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2026

Investors also have been closely watching Amazon’s quarterly earnings to see if the company’s big spending on artificial intelligence is starting to pay off. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026