variants or startup
often attributive
1
: the act or an instance of setting in operation or motion
2
: a fledgling business enterprise

Examples of start-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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These programs don’t offer assistance to the growing share of gig and contract workers during longer transitions, such as training or founding a start-up, and leave them to finance their own health care, retirement, and training with no backstop. Karen Kornbluh, Fortune, 20 May 2026 James Murdoch and his wife have also supported left-leaning news start-ups like The Bulwark and The 19th. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026 In September 2025, a California start-up launched a beverage line for menstrual cycles and menopause, which has now expanded into stores across the United States. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 May 2026 Being a part of a start-up [Commence] is no joke. Liz McNeil, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for start-up

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of start-up was in 1845

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Start-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start-up. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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