1
as in begins
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
commence the festivities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in starts
to come into existence
the games commenced early in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commences
All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.
—
Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.
—Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
The strike will last until the union and the school district come to an agreement, which could mean hours or several days after the picket commences Thursday morning.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
The first set of intercontinental playoffs take place at the end of this year and the second phase commences in February 2027.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Sifford, who is currently the retailer’s vice chairman of the board, will fulfill the CEO responsibilities while the company commences a search for a permanent successor.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
That two-leg series commences on March 10 at BMO Stadium, and wraps up a week later at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
The planetary moonwalk commences on the 26th, twelve days after Valentine’s Day, and is plotting and sussing out the story, so beware of mishaps, missteps, unforeseen issues, travel delays, the resurrection of exes, and awkward moments.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
This season, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) commences at a dire moment for US multi-brand retail.
—Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2026
Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.
—Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
The strike will last until the union and the school district come to an agreement, which could mean hours or several days after the picket commences Thursday morning.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
The first set of intercontinental playoffs take place at the end of this year and the second phase commences in February 2027.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Sifford, who is currently the retailer’s vice chairman of the board, will fulfill the CEO responsibilities while the company commences a search for a permanent successor.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
That two-leg series commences on March 10 at BMO Stadium, and wraps up a week later at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
The planetary moonwalk commences on the 26th, twelve days after Valentine’s Day, and is plotting and sussing out the story, so beware of mishaps, missteps, unforeseen issues, travel delays, the resurrection of exes, and awkward moments.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
This season, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) commences at a dire moment for US multi-brand retail.
—Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commences
Verb
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The eight-team event begins with quarterfinal games April 1-2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.—
Laurence Miedema,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
From Wednesday on, the real heat wave begins to take a foothold with highs for many areas getting up into the 80s to finish the week.—
Dave Aguilera,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Zita also offers a chef’s table experience that starts with an amuse bouche in the kitchen and takes you on a journey through seasonal Tuscan recipes paired with local wines.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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Her life is upended when the SMIRK driver, Charlie (David Dastmalchian), starts dropping off boxes, all shapes and sizes, and all the time.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, security researchers have suspected that LeakBase originates from Russia, suggesting that its administrators remain free.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
4 Mar. 2026
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The name originates from the sun reflecting off the snow causing eye soreness.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The discrepancy arises because the Braves report gross revenue for categories such as retail and concessions, whereas CNBC includes net revenue in accordance with MLB reporting practices.—
Michael Ozanian,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
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The association supported Senate Bill 1263, a separate vision that would peel back some rules but still let cities mandate licenses and require property owners to designate a local contact in case trouble arises.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For the first time, there appears to be a commitment that Foxboro will incur no cost and will not have to worry about reimbursement processes.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Taleghan 2 appears to be deeply buried, similar to Fordow and Natanz, and its recent hardening may have prompted the use of extremely heavy bunker-busters.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commences. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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