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as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream

Synonyms & Similar Words

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start

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word start different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of start are begin, commence, inaugurate, initiate, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How is begin related to other words for start?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How does the word commence relate to other synonyms for start?

Commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When could inaugurate be used to replace start?

The meanings of inaugurate and start largely overlap; however, inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

In what contexts can initiate take the place of start?

Although the words initiate and start have much in common, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

How are the words usher in and inaugurate related as synonyms of start?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

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
Verb
When The Mind Wants Progress, But The Body Protests Consider the experience of starting a new job. Inga Bielińska, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 As the Pentagon was opening up, Palmer Luckey got fired from Facebook and started Anduril. Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Noun
Teenage phenoms striker Mary Long, daughter of Current owners Angie and Chris Long, and right back Katie Scott got their first professional starts and played the entire match. Kansas City Star, 13 July 2025 The aging rock outfit — credited as one of the inventors of heavy metal — played to tens of thousands of fans in Birmingham, England, where the group got its start. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Verb
  • James’ trial was delayed in November 2024 when attorney Harvey Steinberg withdrew from the case, just weeks before the trial was set to begin.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025
  • The Judiciary Committee ought to begin right away its inquiry.
    CBS News, CBS News, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • Search efforts continued through about 1 a.m. Thursday and commenced at first light.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
  • While Merck has built a solid pipeline and commenced new product launches, the timeline remains tight and the revenue gap significant.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • His presence has allowed the KC bullpen to have established roles.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
  • 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
Verb
  • The couple successfully activate the code and crawl through a tunnel to freedom, only to discover that the entire city has been sealed inside the same black brick structures.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 11 July 2025
  • The Network then will activate its many participants to collaborate and engage together to advance solutions and designs of new processes, or mechanisms, or even technologies that are needed to not only benefit each individual employer organization but also the overall talent ecosystem.
    Ryan Stowers, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • In 2024, Wimbledon’s viewership in India jumped 176%, hitting 36.3 million across TV and digital.
    Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • At the county’s Downey shelter, the count jumped by roughly 50% over the same period.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Nearby, police found another pitbull, Lucky, in a wet kennel that was bound shut with five leashes, her hip bones protruding.
    Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
  • Their feet protrude, white and enormous, from their grey-green uniforms like tree-branches from which the bark has been stripped.
    Thomas Meaney, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • Recent flooding in Texas at the beginning of the month killed at least 130 people, New York and New Jersey has also just been hit by flash flooding, and the fourth tropical storm of the season is expected to hit the coast of Florida this week.
    Simmone Shah, Time, 15 July 2025
  • They are required at the beginning of 8th grade, and staff must collaborate with students and their families to create and review the plans annually.
    Jean Eddy, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Approximately 45 percent of the cargo ending at the Port of Los Angeles typically originates in China, thus causing such significant swings.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 15 July 2025
  • These 1,100 meteorites originated as fragments flung from the surfaces of the moon and Mars during asteroid impacts before making their way to Earth after a journey through space.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 14 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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