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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

starting

3 of 4

adjective

as in initial

Related Words

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

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

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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
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky put the gains made by Vivaldi even higher, saying 176 square kilometers (68 square miles) had been recaptured and 5,000 Russian troops either wounded or killed since the operation started. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 The post started with a Polaroid image of Sweeney in a one-piece red bathing suit. — Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
Ray Kerr’s stunning Game 3 start against the Phillies will live in Braves lore forever. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The moratorium is part of the stop-and-start use of executions in Tennessee the last few years. — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Stribling had 11 catches for 109 yards in brief action in his first two preseason games to solidify a starting role alongside veteran Mike Evans. — CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Rayan Cherki, the only City player who retained his place in the starting lineup from Sunday’s Manchester derby against United, also scored. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
His absence would likely lead to Chris Bell, another rookie receiver, starting his second game, and Jalen Tolbert being active for his second game of the season. — Omar Kelly october 1, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 Round 1, Part 2 (featuring the bears below) will now occur on Thursday, September 24 starting at 12pm EDT. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 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
  • Once the playoffs began, New York has looked like a different team, and twice blew out top-seed Minnesota to advance.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The White House originally said checks would begin in October, but the administration official told CNBC the first batch went out this Wednesday.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • It has been known since the 1970s for yielding Roman artifacts, but an organized investigation did not commence until 2017, when geophysical surveys exposed a first-century fortification there.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The mountain, known to the Indigenous inhabitants of the region as the Six Grandfathers, was considered sacred, and construction commenced over the vehement objections of Native Americans.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • Earlier this month, Ralph Lauren revealed a partnership with the Korea National Cancer Center Foundation to establish the Ralph Lauren Center for Patient and Family Recovery at the National Cancer Center of Korea in Goyang, South Korea.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The push is the strongest effort yet to establish federal rules for college athletics and regulate athlete compensation after years of negotiations and tumult.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of establish
Verb
  • More than 120 National Guard members were activated, part of roughly 400 statewide after the governor issued an emergency proclamation.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Business continuity treats disruption as the baseline condition and designs operations accordingly, with integrated data, predictive intelligence and prebuilt response playbooks that activate before a situation has fully materialized.
    — Abha Dogra, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of activate
Verb
  • In some buildings using RealPage, rents jumped by as much as 33 percent in a single year — more than eight times the increase in a comparable building that didn’t use the software.
    — Lindsay Owens, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The injuries left her paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from a second-story window.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • Ping Ping, the male, has dark black circles around his eyes, while Fu Shuang, the female, has a forehead that protrudes a bit, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • As has the part where Reacher uses his left paw with two nails protruding from the palm as a makeshift Wolverine/Freddy Krueger stabbin’ hand.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • Success can also open the door to sequels and franchises, although Balmaceda said those opportunities don’t necessarily have to be engineered from the beginning.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The early 1970s saw the tide of the conflict shift, with many analysts pinpointing 1972 as the beginning of the second stage of the war.
    — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Guest in Residence Tartan Wool & Cashmere Miniskirt Tartan prints can be traced back to at least the third century AD, having originated in the Scottish Highlands.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In the last decade, almost all catastrophic wildfire originated on public lands.
    — Chris Edwards, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of originate

Phrases Containing start

Browse Nearby Words

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 4 Oct. 2026.

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