begin

verb

be·​gin bi-ˈgin How to pronounce begin (audio)
bē-
began bi-ˈgan How to pronounce begin (audio)
bē-
; begun bi-ˈgən How to pronounce begin (audio)
bē-
; beginning

intransitive verb

1
: to do the first part of an action : go into the first part of a process : start
began by introducing herself
will have to begin again
2
a
: to come into existence : arise
Their problems were just beginning.
b
: to have a starting point
Her career began in Chicago.
Prices begin at $110 per night.
3
: to do or succeed in the least degree
I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am.

transitive verb

1
: to set about the activity of : start
They began the lecture at 10:00.
have already begun construction
2
a
: to bring into being : found
credited with beginning the movement
In 1819, he married the daughter of a … chief and began a dynasty that would last for nearly 200 years.Robert F. Oaks
b
: originate, invent
began their tradition
Phrases
to begin with
: as the first thing to be considered
Choose the Right Synonym for begin

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

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

commence firing
commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of begin in a Sentence

They will begin construction on the new school soon. I got the job and I begin work on Monday! She'll begin the lecture at 10. He plans to begin the project later this week. They both began their careers at the local newspaper. The university began accepting applications in November. I had just begun eating when the phone rang. She interrupted as soon as I began to speak. Now that I've begun, I'll go on till I finish. I began the quilt last month.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
After four days, most food stored in the fridge begins to develop spoilage bacteria, which causes food to develop a bad smell or taste. Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024 That’s a bonus for a team that began the season expecting to pick somewhere around 20th overall. Phil Rogers, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024 Fans began to speculate that something was amiss when Kravitz was spotted at several events without her engagement ring. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024 But a big shift is happening among straight American men and women—a parting of ways that began long before the election. Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for begin 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beginnen, going back to Old English beginnan, from be- be- + -ginnan, going back to Germanic *genn-a-, verbal base of uncertain meaning and origin occurring only with prefixes, found also in Old English onginnan "to be at a starting point, start," Old High German beginnan, Gothic duginnan

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of begin was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near begin

Cite this Entry

“Begin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/begin. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

begin

verb
be·​gin bi-ˈgin How to pronounce begin (audio)
began -ˈgan How to pronounce begin (audio) ; begun -ˈgən How to pronounce begin (audio) ; beginning
1
: to do or be the first part of an action or course : start
begin your homework
it began to rain
2
: to come or bring into existence : originate
the war began in 1939
3
: to do or succeed in the least degree
does not begin to fill our needs

Biographical Definition

Begin

biographical name

Be·​gin ˈbā-gin How to pronounce Begin (audio)
Me*na*chem mə-ˈnä-ḵəm How to pronounce Begin (audio) 1913–1992 prime minister of Israel (1977–83)

More from Merriam-Webster on begin

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