1
as in to commence
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
she began walking to work for exercise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to start
to come into existence
the storm began late in the day and lasted all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of begin
Alarmed civic officials across the West have already begun ordering restrictions on watering lawns, cleaning cars and even whether restaurant patrons get served glasses of water.
—
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
With the playoffs fast approaching, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has begun scaling back the workloads of his most important players.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Oil prices have surged more than 50% since the war began.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Fuel costs have soared since the war began on Feb. 28, as Iran has taken steps to prevent ships from transiting the Strait of Hormuz—the vital oil conduit sitting between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for begin
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
With the playoffs fast approaching, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has begun scaling back the workloads of his most important players.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Oil prices have surged more than 50% since the war began.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Fuel costs have soared since the war began on Feb. 28, as Iran has taken steps to prevent ships from transiting the Strait of Hormuz—the vital oil conduit sitting between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for begin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for begin
Verb
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Trade with China commenced in 1553.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon shared the fun fact on X once the court commenced arguments Wednesday morning, but her post drew some backlash, with critics saying no such chair exists.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That decade started with the 1973 oil embargo by Arab countries who were members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, and ended with the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which many attribute to helping end Jimmy Carter's presidency.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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Milwaukee’s attention on Brown and Tatum created several wide-open inside looks for Queta, who started 5-for-6 and drew two shooting fouls during a 13-point frame.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Products used in the NICU help win hospital contracts, and hospital contracts help establish brand loyalty, according to court records.—
David Hilzenrath,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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With the names of the two Kansas Cities firmly established over time, complaints about their dullness or geographical inaccuracy were largely confined to letters to the editor.—
Elijah Winkler,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Since then, more than 1,000 of these home kitchens have opened across California, operating under a growing but still patchwork system.—
Itay Hod,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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If a hobby upgrade tempts you, open a spreadsheet to compare options before opening your wallet!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dominican Republic Almost 30% of the flights arriving each month at Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, originate from New York City-JFK and Miami.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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Stand-up partially originated here in the West Village of the 1950s, at coffeehouses where folk musicians and beatnik poets also performed.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The ground launch sequencer, or a computer that tells the rocket when to launch, will initiate terminal count.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
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The session, which lasted one hour Tuesday night, was open to anyone who had pre-registered through a Zoom link initiated through Amazon Data Centers Online Community Information.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Having legal documents on hand, at a lawyer’s office or in a file cabinet not only provides peace of mind, but can prevent conflict and legal fees when tragedy or challenges arise.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Because midwives are trained to oversee low-risk pregnancies and usually send patients to hospitals if complications arise, agreements with physicians in theory should give midwives someone to consult or transfer patients to in such scenarios.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Its founding principles—informed by an environmentally-conscious ethos and values which ‘protect the islands, support local communities, and do business in a…fair and future-focused way,’ says Dixon—mirrored those at Nikoi, and still hold strong today.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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And the three who founded it in 1998 ran two unlicensed boarding schools in Missouri that have since been closed amid abuse allegations.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Begin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/begin. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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