start out
phrasal 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
Dragon Lee This match started out in third gear and did not slow down for a second.
—
Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
After starting out leading the Patriots to a playoff berth as a rookie to being a backup for a poor Jacksonville team in his fourth season, Jones has plenty of experiences both good and bad to draw from.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
The game started out in promising fashion for Kansas City.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 Sep. 2025
The current epidemic of tariffs seemed to start out this way, but then consolidated and endured to the point of causing real economic damage.
—Mark Weisbrot, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for start out
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Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
After starting out leading the Patriots to a playoff berth as a rookie to being a backup for a poor Jacksonville team in his fourth season, Jones has plenty of experiences both good and bad to draw from.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025
The game started out in promising fashion for Kansas City.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 Sep. 2025
The current epidemic of tariffs seemed to start out this way, but then consolidated and endured to the point of causing real economic damage.
—Mark Weisbrot, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
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 16 Sep. 2025.
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