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
From full-time nurses in their 60s to students who are just starting out on the nursing floor, these running shoes have earned the stamp of approval from hard-working healthcare professionals.
—
Staff Author
updated, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
What started out over the summer as a $200 million project funded by private donors has now ballooned.
—Tamara Keith, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025
The Sarasota Opera House didn’t start out as an opera house.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2025
Given that the title sequence doesn't begin until 30 minutes into the film, Fresh may start out like a rom-com, right down to the meet-cute in a grocery store.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for start out
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Staff Author
updated, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
What started out over the summer as a $200 million project funded by private donors has now ballooned.
—Tamara Keith, NPR, 29 Dec. 2025
The Sarasota Opera House didn’t start out as an opera house.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2025
Given that the title sequence doesn't begin until 30 minutes into the film, Fresh may start out like a rom-com, right down to the meet-cute in a grocery store.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 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 1 Jan. 2026.
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