1
as in to begin
to come into existence
the fight started when one child tripped the other
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
started the impressionist movement in art
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to activate
to cause to function
trying to start the car on a frigid morning
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5
6
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
frightened horses with starting eyes
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as in beginning
the point at which something begins
knew from the start of the game that he would win easily
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of start
Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2026
Washington had won five of seven games entering Wednesday after starting the season 3-20.
—CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Behind the dry line Tuesday, drier air will move into Central Texas, leading to a slightly cooler start Wednesday under mostly to partly cloudy skies.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for start
Verb
Seeds can be sown directly or started indoors.
—Noun
Stroud to a concussion for four games midseason and rally from an 0-3 start to make the postseason for a third straight season.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Verb
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On the plane, Dick clutches the slingshot and begins sweating and muttering to himself before becoming unresponsive.—
-
Numerous reports and videos of thundersnow in downtown Chicago began to roll in after midnight local time.—
Verb
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The bombardment of political ads will commence this week.—
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Officials then searched the children’s home and commenced an air and ground search.—
Verb
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Auditing two departments Calvo plans to establish a task force to audit Hialeah’s 911 operations, responding tor concerns from dispatchers about understaffing and slow response times.—
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Since the 1977 report, scores of other scientific studies involving thousands have clearly established a strong association between consumption of meat and dairy products and elevated incidences of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer.—
Verb
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During inquiries, the ICO found 178 active email accounts using passwords identical or similar to those set by the organization’s IT desk when the account was activated.—
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
Verb
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That’s why the team turned to look into how these insects transition between jumping, flapping, and gliding.—
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The new season of Prime Video's high-octane thriller jumps eight years ahead of the explosive Season 1 finale with Pine running a quiet surveillance unit in London under the alias Alex Goodwin, a low-level MI6 officer.—
Verb
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Route 66 Road Relics With its popping turquoise facade and junk cars protruding from the walls, Route 66 Road Relics is hard to miss.—
-
Avoid areas of ice with protruding debris like logs or brush.—
Noun
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Indiana went on a 14-1 run in the third to take the lead from Nebraska (14-2, 3-2) for the first time since the beginning of the game, leading briefly at 51-49.—
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As for the Lady Kate, Furrer said the 110-foot boat stopped cruising at the beginning of the pandemic.—
Verb
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The project originated from a news story and took shape during a residency at the Museum of Imagined Futures.—
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Fannie Mae and Freddie, which are in government conservatorship, do not originate home loans.—
Cite this Entry
“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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