1
2
as in to establish
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 to activate
to cause to function
trying to start the car on a frigid morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to begin
to come into existence
the fight started when one child tripped the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
frightened horses with starting eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to commence
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
as in beginning
the point at which something begins
knew from the start of the game that he would win easily
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in initial
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in jumping
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)
I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in establishing
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 activating
to cause to function
trying to start the car on a frigid morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in commencing
to come into existence
the fight started when one child tripped the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point
frightened horses with starting eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in launching
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of start
Emma Alpern, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025
Jimenez-Rico’s family had just returned home from a trip to Mexico when his dad and sister, 22-year-old Jocelyn Jimenez, started criticizing him about dirty dishes, according to records obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025
Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Reid got off to a fast start Saturday night for the host Bulldogs, scoring eight of his team-high 16 points in the first quarter of a cliffhanger 53-47 loss to Burlington Central.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2025
Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Pickett is active but not starting, meaning Tanner McKee gets an opportunity to make his first NFL start.
—Adam Gretz, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for start 
Verb
In 1982, a series of women’s and girls’ bodies started to appear in the fields near Route 99 in Washington.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025
Jimenez-Rico’s family had just returned home from a trip to Mexico when his dad and sister, 22-year-old Jocelyn Jimenez, started criticizing him about dirty dishes, according to records obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
As of Monday, data from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) show that despite the abnormally dry start to winter for Southern California, most of the state's major reservoirs are performing above average for this time of year.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Reid got off to a fast start Saturday night for the host Bulldogs, scoring eight of his team-high 16 points in the first quarter of a cliffhanger 53-47 loss to Burlington Central.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
Perhaps Finch is leaning on a couple of recent games against high-caliber competition for optimism about his starting five.
—Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Pickett is active but not starting, meaning Tanner McKee gets an opportunity to make his first NFL start.
—Adam Gretz, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Noun
-
Represents new beginnings, growth, vision, community spirit and creativity; the element of spring.—
Athena Sobhan,
People.com,
30 Jan. 2025
-
Said to be the original influencer, the documentary shows her rise from humble beginnings to Wall Street trader to homemaking entrepreneurial queen.—
Jeffrey Edell,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Teaching middle school in New Orleans as part of Teach for America, and staying in the classroom for eight years, far beyond my two-year initial commitment, uniquely prepared me for the game.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Trump was last year ordered to pay Carroll $5 million after an initial lawsuit.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
On Thursday, Trinity Gas Storage announced commencement of operations at its 24 bcf (billion cubic feet) storage unit located near Carthage in East Texas, about 160 miles southeast of Dallas.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
-
In theory, TikTok could announce the commencement of negotiations with a potential buyer and urge President Joe Biden to grant the 90-day extension before the ban takes effect, experts said.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
In the four decades since its inception, MusiCares has raised more than $100 million to provide assistance to musicians and other music-industry workers facing financial, medical and personal hardships, including addiction recovery and disaster relief.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Feb. 2025
-
Denmark joined the Invictus movement in 2014, the inception of the competition, with a focus on healing the mental health of service members, the team's website says.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey face no shortage of peril in the first trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth.—
Ryan Gajewski,
The Hollywood Reporter,
5 Feb. 2025
-
The latter clinched Sky News the first BAFTA award in its history.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
For example, the American Cancer Society reports that early onset colorectal cancer cases in adults younger than 50 grew by 2.4% each year from 2012-2021.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2025
-
But from the onset, the second-oldest republic in the Western Hemisphere after the United States was beset by armed conflict, foreign interventions, repressive dictators, political violence, and heads of state whose personal ambitions and desire for power fanned instability and revolts.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Two years after launch, Norway’s boutique production outlet Staer Film headed by Elisa Fernanda Pirir, is ramping up its activities by venturing into distribution and bigger budget movies.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2025
-
Though multiple theories might explain their striking punctuality—among them blind luck—another possibility is that the traders were warned of the launch in advance, the crypto forensics experts hypothesize.—
Joel Khalili,
WIRED,
31 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near start
Cite this Entry
“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share