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 (1)

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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starts

3 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of start
1
as in jumps
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 founds
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of started the impressionist movement in art

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in activates
to cause to function trying to start the car on a frigid morning

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

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in commences
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

starts

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural of start
as in beginnings
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

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
Lugo was slated to start Monday’s road game against the Washington Nationals. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026 After starting the game with Cecilia Zandalasini and Kayla Thornton, Nakase opted to replace the veteran forwards with Salaün and veteran guard Tiffany Hayes. —Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
Noun
Buenik’s good start helped — Mount Carmel’s first two batters struck out looking — and the Wildcats then scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. —Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026 New moons usually occur once a month and are always tied to fresh starts, new cycles and unique journeys, astrologer Kyle Thomas tells PEOPLE. —Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
Verb
And Sherry starts plating her dessert far too early — plating ice cream with seven minutes to go? —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 June 2026 And for some teams, simply making it to the Round of 32, which starts June 28, will be a tear-jerker. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 June 2026
Noun
Jacob Gonzalez was drafted out of Mississippi as a shortstop and got most of his starts at short this year at Triple-A Charlotte. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2026 Boston starter Ranger Suarez, who is 0-1 in six starts since April 27, gave up one run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. —ABC News, 7 June 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
  • The punitive phase of the civil trial began Thursday, after jurors determined that Grossman had acted with malice and oppression and Erickson with malice, oppression or fraud.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • Many before Labīd and many after him across the long arc of Arabic, have begun their poems by standing upon ruins.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Definition of begin
Verb
  • Homer Gere, Yvonne Chapman, Ellen Barkin, Willem Dafoe and Michael Douglas have rounded out the cast of Oliver Stone‘s upcoming pic White Lies as principal photography commences.
    — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 10 June 2026
  • Mercury’s pre-retrograde shadow (the weeks leading up to the celestial backspin when the planet slows down), which began on June 13 in water Cancer, starts the story for the planet’s moonwalk that commences on June 29.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 June 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • Those would be high benchmarks for Texas Tech to establish, so long as the conference follows its own bylaws.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 June 2026
  • State initiatives aimed at supporting fusion research and commercialization have encouraged investment and collaboration, helping establish an ecosystem designed to accelerate technological breakthroughs.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
Definition of establish
Verb
  • Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
  • Even 15 minutes of disconnection allows the brain’s default mode network to activate, when memory consolidation and creative connections actually occur.
    — William Jones June 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026
Definition of activate
Verb
  • Rivas jumped from an elevated part of Interstate 310 and landed in swampland below, state police said.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 9 June 2026
  • Cue to the adorable Scooby-Doo excitedly jumping into Shaggy’s (Tanner Hagen) arms.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 June 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • Features such as surface roughness and protruding fibers create more sites where particles can stick to the outer surface rather than passing through.
    — Sumit Mandal, The Conversation, 9 June 2026
  • In his right leg, Adin's tibia bone was broken in half and protruded through the skin.
    — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • Perhaps the most striking part of the visit was seeing the pope appearing the most relaxed and happy since the beginning of his papacy.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
  • After hearing these songs, the happier ones at the beginning of the album reveal bits of shadow that Rodrigo has built into them to presage what’s to come — to presage what always comes.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Definition of beginning
Verb
  • The species originated in Asia, during the Oligocene period, around 25 million years ago.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
  • The name originated after apartheid ended in the 1990s and was rebranded as Bafana to reflect the integrated society.
    — Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 9 June 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 15 Jun. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of start for Spanish Speakers

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