1
: a person who initiates or sets going: such as
a
: an official who gives the signal to begin a race
b
: one who dispatches vehicles
2
a
: one that engages in a competition
especially
: a member of a starting lineup
b
: one that begins to engage in an activity or process
3
: one that causes something to begin operating: such as
a
: a device for starting an engine
especially
: an electric motor used to start an internal combustion engine
b
: material containing microorganisms (such as yeast) used to induce a desired fermentation
4
: something that is the beginning of a process, activity, or series
especially
: appetizer
see also for starters
: of, relating to, or being an item acquired with the expectation that a more elaborate or sophisticated model will be acquired in the future
a starter home
Examples of starter in a Sentence
Noun
The team is playing only five regular starters.
The car's starter needs to be replaced.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2026
With the injuries to vital players taking their toll this season, the Packers can't afford to lose another one and will likely hold more healthy starters out beyond Love.
—CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026
Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
The Celtics got points on nine of their first 10 possessions of the second half, with every starter scoring at least once during that stretch.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for starter
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Noun
Simmons was Ole Miss’ starter at the beginning of the 2025 season but hurt an ankle in the Rebels’ third game.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2026
With the injuries to vital players taking their toll this season, the Packers can't afford to lose another one and will likely hold more healthy starters out beyond Love.
—CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
And there is no one else of starter quality in the defensive backfield, let alone sufficient depth.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026
The Celtics got points on nine of their first 10 possessions of the second half, with every starter scoring at least once during that stretch.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for starter
Cite this Entry
“Starter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starter. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
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