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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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

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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
When that process starts, likely in mid-October, the debris will need to be in the public right-of-way — not on roads but alongside them — because federal rules prohibit the county from collecting debris from private property. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 That means rookie Colton Hood is potentially in line to start opposite veteran Greg Newsome (rib), who was limited for a second straight day, as well. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
The latest word on the wire is the parties could have an agreement before the official start of Yom Kippur this weekend. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026 Their creamy texture melts into the crispy hash browns for a filling, satisfying start to the day. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Perhaps Clark’s play will vault her into the starting lineup down the road. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Both moved into the starting lineup late in their freshman seasons and provided a spark in victories over Washington and Illinois last year. — Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
By now, the months leading up to the ceremony—starting with the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where Anora won the Palme d’Or—are one big, bewildering blur to her. — Marley Marius, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026 Kevin Danso, who closed the season as his starting centre-back, and Cristian Romero have been replaced in the starting line-up by Jan Paul van Hecke, a classy but less physically dominant defender than the outgoers. — Elias Burke, New York Times, 6 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
  • Graham began screenwriting with teleplays for the ‘80s version of The Twilight Zone.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026
  • More expansive early voting is scheduled to begin in those and other states in the coming weeks.
    — ALI SWENSON, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • The film will shoot on location at the heart of Pendle in Lancashire, with principal photography commencing end of September.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Then the Padres commenced giving him a big cushion, scoring two runs in the second inning and batting around and scoring five times in the second.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • Inputs divided by outputs established a unit-cost baseline that CFOs could optimize, benchmark and defend to the board.
    — Hemant Kapadia, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In 2003, Congress supported the goals and ideals of College Savings Month, helping establish September as a time to encourage more families to think about saving before future education costs arrive.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of establish
Verb
  • Researchers therefore began exploring partial reprogramming, briefly activating the Yamanaka factors in ways that appear to rejuvenate cells while maintaining their specialized identities.
    — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
  • If the vehicle has no power and the window remains fully raised, Tesla warns the glass could shatter when someone activates the release.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of activate
Verb
  • There was still the possibility that all of this had been a colossal instance of jumping to conclusions on Tristan’s part, and that the name Buster had been chosen at random for its mass appeal.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Spring for a scrub and a massage for extra relaxation, and unwind in the lounge afterward for snacks and tea to refuel before jumping back into activities like birdwatching, kayaking, and lawn games.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • 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
  • For the hunters, a massive grey orb with a ramp protruding from it is one clue.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • The industry remains near the beginning of its cycle, and the same principles—control over keys, and the routing of decisions—apply well beyond custody, including the issuance of tokenized instruments.
    — Sergey Stopnevich, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The timing of such decisions has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the sport just seven weeks out from the beginning of the regular season, and coaches involved are either fuming or biting their lips until there’s more clarity.
    — CJ Moore, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • Fourteen of those storms originated in the East Pacific, which, with two and a half months of the season still to come, will likely blow past its average seasonal storm total of 15.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • But each dollar of revenue must be weighed against the cost to originate, explain, onboard, service, monitor and govern the allocation.
    — Satish Avhad, Forbes.com, 14 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 20 Sep. 2026.

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