1
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
no one knows who initiated written language
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to introduce
to impart knowledge of a new thing or situation to
initiated the new recruits in the unspoken laws of military conduct
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to inaugurate
to put into an office or welcome into an organization with special ceremonies
initiated her as Surgeon General before an army of reporters and photographers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of initiate
Agencies may not conduct large-scale reorganizations and reductions in force in blatant disregard of Congress's mandates, and a president may not initiate large-scale executive branch reorganization without partnering with Congress.
—
July 8, CBS News, 8 July 2025
And it’s understood that MLB, and surely Nike itself, initiated this change out of a sense that uniform options had gotten out of control with no real limits or guidelines.
—Vahe Gregorian
july 7, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025
The officer was attempting a traffic stop on a vehicle that fled from the scene just after 5 p.m. on July 6, initiating the chase, the Greendale police department said in a news release.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025
The water initiates a chemical reaction that lasts about six hours.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for initiate
July 8, CBS News, 8 July 2025
And it’s understood that MLB, and surely Nike itself, initiated this change out of a sense that uniform options had gotten out of control with no real limits or guidelines.
—Vahe Gregorian
july 7, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025
The officer was attempting a traffic stop on a vehicle that fled from the scene just after 5 p.m. on July 6, initiating the chase, the Greendale police department said in a news release.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 7 July 2025
The water initiates a chemical reaction that lasts about six hours.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for initiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for initiate
Verb
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Not long before the end, the daring writer-director introduces an idea that should have been established from the jump: As a child, Seti struggled with a speech impediment.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
11 July 2025
-
His presence has allowed the KC bullpen to have established roles.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 July 2025
Verb
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The possibility of ostomy surgery was introduced later, after exhausting all other treatment options.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
13 July 2025
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Turner spoke to reporters in Las Vegas Saturday when he was officially introduced as a member of the Bucks.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Duffy takes over from Janet Petro, who had served as acting NASA administrator since Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 July 2025
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This year’s inductees were revealed on Jan. 21, one day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Russia launched thousands of drones into Ukraine in June, and Ukraine has continued to make efforts to fight back.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
5 July 2025
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Many organizations should consider launching a convoy of innovations.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
5 July 2025
Verb
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The ministry said he was set to be inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame this fall.—
Bob Smietana,
NPR,
1 July 2025
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The Hollis, Oklahoma native who now lives in Tulsa was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, also in 2009.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
28 June 2025
Verb
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The idea, in both cases, is to create revenue by taxing rich people and use the money to pay for other initiatives.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
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The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin is creating a new business incubator program with a $100,000 grant from Main Street America.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
Verb
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San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System, or MTS, has a contract with Clear Channel to handle getting the contracts and putting on the wraps, which take about a day to install.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
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This week is not the first time that children have died in a flash flood along the Guadalupe River, and reports suggest county officials struggled to raise money and then declined to install a warning system in 2018 in order to save approximately $1 million.—
Abrahm Lustgarten,
ProPublica,
9 July 2025
Verb
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At Evans High School, Children’s Home Society of Florida and the University of Central Florida pioneered the state’s first Community Partnership School in 2012.—
Andry Sweet,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 July 2025
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Thorium was pioneered in America decades ago, but has been taken up by China to great success.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Initiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initiate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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