1
as in jumped
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)
I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in founded
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
started the impressionist movement in art
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in triggered
to cause to function
trying to start the car on a frigid morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in began
to come into existence
the fight started when one child tripped the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in protruded
to extend outward beyond a usual point
frightened horses with starting eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in commenced
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of started
That marked the weakest growth since December 2022, according to Wind data, as China started to loosen its Covid curbs.
—
Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 18 May 2026
Then, in 2021, I was given the opportunity through a connection at The New York Times to submit an essay about a local organization I’d started six years prior called the Donkey Soccer League.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The cruel cartoon of a constantly shrewish, venal, and disloyal Mary began cementing itself in the public mind when William Herndon, Lincoln’s Springfield law partner, started lecturing about his reminiscences within months of the President’s murder.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Midfielder Andy Irving, who joined Sparta Prague in January, had seldom featured in the starting XI in the early throes of the season, yet also started that fixture.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Martin Ojeda started the sequence with a pass to Ivan Angulo in the box.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026
Carolyn Hax started her Washington Post advice column in 1997, after five years on the Style desk and none as a therapist.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 15 May 2026
That energy was gone by the third quarter after the Aces started doubling Ogwumike, and aside from Plum, the Sparks’ offense had no answers.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Daniel de Visé While dozens of passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship have started their journeys home, the disembarkation process is expected to continue into tomorrow.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 18 May 2026
Then, in 2021, I was given the opportunity through a connection at The New York Times to submit an essay about a local organization I’d started six years prior called the Donkey Soccer League.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The cruel cartoon of a constantly shrewish, venal, and disloyal Mary began cementing itself in the public mind when William Herndon, Lincoln’s Springfield law partner, started lecturing about his reminiscences within months of the President’s murder.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Midfielder Andy Irving, who joined Sparta Prague in January, had seldom featured in the starting XI in the early throes of the season, yet also started that fixture.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Martin Ojeda started the sequence with a pass to Ivan Angulo in the box.
—Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026
Carolyn Hax started her Washington Post advice column in 1997, after five years on the Style desk and none as a therapist.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 15 May 2026
That energy was gone by the third quarter after the Aces started doubling Ogwumike, and aside from Plum, the Sparks’ offense had no answers.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Daniel de Visé While dozens of passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship have started their journeys home, the disembarkation process is expected to continue into tomorrow.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for started
Verb
-
Data from travel booking platform TrainPal shows that in April, purchases by UK residents of Eurostar tickets to France jumped 42% month-over-month and rose 25% year-over-year.—
,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
Alibaba, which set the record for the largest IPO in history when it was publicly listed in 2014, jumped 30% over 12 months, while Uber increased by 21% after listing in 2019.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Two of Rubén’s older sons, who married Russian acrobats during international stints, broke off and founded their own troupe as Circus Caballero.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
-
The project is also a big venture for Blink49 Studios, the banner founded in 2021 by international TV veteran Morayniss, an alum of Entertainment One and Alliance Atlantis.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Foreign governments are dumping US Treasury bonds to stabilize their currencies amid the energy shock and financial volatility triggered by the Iran war.—
Tasneem Nashrulla,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
-
The median 4-week loss after the sell signal is triggered has been 1%, according to the bank's review of 24 sell signals going back to 2011.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
In the late 1970s, there began a set of processes which restored the autonomy of financial capital, reset the purpose of politics, and generated a number of formidable new competitors to the nation-state.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
As the play died down, a female fan decked out in White Sox gear reportedly began mercilessly heckling the 24-year-old outfielder.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Under the flaps of his jacket there was a small tear in his T-shirt, directly over his left nipple, which protruded like a knot of purple rope.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
Shards of glass and ceramic, rusted metal, medical and bio-waste, syringes, cracked circuit boards, and broken electronics protruded everywhere.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In an interview with People magazine published Wednesday, May 13, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos reflected on authorities' progress in the high-profile search operation, which commenced in early February after Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home in Arizona.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
If dopamine neurons in the basal ganglia degenerate as happens in Parkinson’s disease, movements become harder to initiate and slower once they are commenced.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
OpenAI had already established a for-profit subsidiary.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, the resurgence of Eurasian empires—notably China and Russia—strikes at the heart of the cellular order established under American hegemony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Preliminary findings from the train's black box showed the emergency braking system was activated only about 100 meters, or roughly 330 feet, before impact, which was not enough distance to stop the train in time, according to Thai PBS, as cited by the outlet.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
-
The California Highway Patrol never issued an Amber Alert because Lee’s vehicle had already crossed into Mexico before the alert could be activated; an Endangered Missing Advisory was issued instead on July 11.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Started.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/started. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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