start 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈstärt How to pronounce start (audio)
Definition of startnext
1
as in to begin
to come into existence the fight started when one child tripped the other

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2
as in to commence
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment

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3
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of started the impressionist movement in art

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4
as in to activate
to cause to function trying to start the car on a frigid morning

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5
as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream

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6
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point frightened horses with starting eyes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

start

2 of 4

noun

as in beginning
the point at which something begins knew from the start of the game that he would win easily

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starting

3 of 4

adjective

as in initial

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Dissimilar Words

starting

4 of 4

verb (2)

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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in commencing
to come into existence the fight started when one child tripped the other

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point frightened horses with starting eyes

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word start different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of start are begin, commence, inaugurate, initiate, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How is begin related to other words for start?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How does the word commence relate to other synonyms for start?

Commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When could inaugurate be used to replace start?

The meanings of inaugurate and start largely overlap; however, inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

In what contexts can initiate take the place of start?

Although the words initiate and start have much in common, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

How are the words usher in and inaugurate related as synonyms of start?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

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
Cornucopian had won four of his eight career starts with $462,155 in earnings. — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026 Barnes is currently a member of the Park Hill School District school board, starting her tenure in 2022 and ending it in 2028. — Sophie Lindberg july 27, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
Noun
Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s two-week road to recess starts Monday evening with a procedural vote on Jay Clayton’s nomination to be director of national intelligence. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 27 July 2026 The weather is balmy but not too hot, almost solely residents remain on the islands, and hotels and touristy restaurants are still closed before the official start of the high season. — Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 July 2026
Adjective
But the Dodgers say his knee doesn’t bother him while batting, and the four-time MVP has remained in the starting lineup regularly. — ABC News, 25 July 2026 Sure, once upon a time, a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis would have beaten almost anybody. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Verb
Pretty good starting five, and one with which James shares some overlapping histories. — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 25 July 2026 Cousins is expected to start in Las Vegas, but Mendoza could end up starting sooner than later. — Rob Maaddi, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
  1. begin
  2. commence
  3. establish
  4. activate
  5. jump
  6. protrude
  7. beginning
  8. originate
Verb
  • Joe Mack and Xavier Edwards added RBI singles later in the fifth for the Marlins, who began the day 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia and Arizona for the final two NL playoff spots.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The festival began as a seasonal attraction but has grown into a Kansas City-area family tradition centered on education and close encounters with butterflies.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • And so commenced a literally explosive weekend of celebrations across the five boroughs, which culminated in a ticker-tape parade on June 18 to City Hall.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 23 July 2026
  • Work commenced on the record three months after Drewchin welcomed the arrival of her first child, Nova, a period in which she was consumed with the reality and potentialities of being a new parent.
    — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • From Levi’s and Wrangler to next-gen iterations like Re/Done and EB Denim, these tried-and-true labels have established themselves as go-tos, with dedicated followings who return pair after pair.
    — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 28 July 2026
  • Powers, now, will head into his fourth training camp as the Broncos’ established starter at left guard.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 28 July 2026
Definition of establish
Verb
  • Running beta code comes at the consumer’s own risk; diving into the settings to activate features not specifically enabled by Apple will increase that risk.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Air defenses were activated in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and explosions were reported in several Iranian cities, according to state media.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of activate
Verb
  • That jumps from his previous $45 million average and pushes him to the top of the quarterback market.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • The company reported record US production and said worldwide production jumped 20% year-over-year.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • In several looks, the hips protruded impressively outward, but the silhouette appeared more subtle and somewhat suitable for everyday wear in the label’s delicate camisole tops.
    — Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026
  • While Kali’s protruding tongue is sometimes interpreted as a gesture of embarrassment or shame, the Rolling Stones’ logo reimagines it as a symbol of protest and antiestablishment sentiment.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • Asking how your home will be promoted, and whether it will be listed in the MLS from the very beginning, can help ensure your property has the strongest possible start.
    — Heartland MLS®, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
  • The Bundesliga had only begun in 1963, marking the true beginning of professionalism.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Test Environment Is Production The Hugging Face breach originated in a testing environment with external network access.
    — David Chou, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Beginning in the Mississippi Delta Technique and instruments The roots of Chicago blues are in Delta blues, an acoustic style that originated in the Delta region of northwestern Mississippi.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of originate

Phrases Containing start

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star-spangled
start
started
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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on start

Nglish: Translation of start for Spanish Speakers

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