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
Instead, Octopus Energy US started out in deep-red, oil-rich Texas.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
What started out as something Howie Mandel thought would be a funny bit for his Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast last month quickly devolved into a super-tense, awkward moment the America’s Got Talent host is now expressing regret for.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Feb. 2025
Many esports professionals start out their careers as teenagers, and these gaming houses ensure organizations like G2 can safeguard them properly while also nurturing their talent and preparing them to be champions.
—Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2025
Garcia, who hails from Oviedo in the Asturias region of northern Spain, started out in the youth academy of Sporting Gijón before joining Manchester City’s youth setup in 2013 at the age of 15.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
What started out as something Howie Mandel thought would be a funny bit for his Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast last month quickly devolved into a super-tense, awkward moment the America’s Got Talent host is now expressing regret for.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Feb. 2025
Many esports professionals start out their careers as teenagers, and these gaming houses ensure organizations like G2 can safeguard them properly while also nurturing their talent and preparing them to be champions.
—Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2025
Garcia, who hails from Oviedo in the Asturias region of northern Spain, started out in the youth academy of Sporting Gijón before joining Manchester City’s youth setup in 2013 at the age of 15.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for start out
Dictionary Entries Near start out
Cite this Entry
“Start out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20out. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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