start out
verb
started out; starting out; starts out
1
: to begin in a specified way
He started out by introducing himself.
She started out at a slow jog.
The day started out hot and humid.
The story started out good, but I didn't like the ending.
She started out wanting to be a doctor but became a midwife instead.
—often + withI started out with $100 but I have only $10 left.
Let's start out with some warm-up exercises.
2
: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start
What started out as a simple idea has become an expensive and complicated project.
He started out in teaching before becoming a lawyer.
3
: to begin an important period in one's life or career
The couple is just starting out.
She started out on a career in teaching.
4
: to begin a trip
They started out in the early morning.
5
: to have a particular place as a beginning point
The parade starts out at the intersection of First and Main.
Examples of start out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The film starts out with a lone sheriff [Hwang Jung-min] who knows there’s something dangerous out there in the shadows causing death and destruction.
—
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 18 May 2026
If retirees started out with that rate of spending, Bengen reasoned, their savings would last 30 years.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Temperatures will start out below average Tuesday, with highs in the 50s.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 17 May 2026
Shelton Brewing started out quietly but soon caught the attention of hop lovers.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for start out
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Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 18 May 2026
If retirees started out with that rate of spending, Bengen reasoned, their savings would last 30 years.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Temperatures will start out below average Tuesday, with highs in the 50s.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 17 May 2026
Shelton Brewing started out quietly but soon caught the attention of hop lovers.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for start out
Cite this Entry
“Start out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20out. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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