start out
phrasal verb
started out; starting out; starts out
1
: to begin in a specified way
He started out by introducing himself.
She started out at a slow jog.
The day started out hot and humid.
The story started out good, but I didn't like the ending.
She started out wanting to be a doctor but became a midwife instead.
—often + withI started out with $100 but I have only $10 left.
Let's start out with some warm-up exercises.
2
: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start
What started out as a simple idea has become an expensive and complicated project.
He started out in teaching before becoming a lawyer.
3
: to begin an important period in one's life or career
The couple is just starting out.
She started out on a career in teaching.
4
: to begin a trip
They started out in the early morning.
5
: to have a particular place as a beginning point
The parade starts out at the intersection of First and Main.
Examples of start out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For Farida, an Indonesian woman who migrated to the States, the fact that BTS started out as an unknown band and worked their way up has resonated with her own life experience deeply.
—
David Opie, IndieWire, 24 July 2025
In a three player game, two players play GI JOE against Cobra who starts out with more resources.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
The word started out as an abbreviation, or more precisely, an initialism - where initial letters are pronounced separately (as opposed to an acronym, where the initial letters are pronounced as a word).
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 23 July 2025
Daniel Mogg, who started out working on Sunday Night Football before becoming chief creative officer for Russell Wilson’s production company West2East Empire, will direct.
—Peter White, Deadline, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for start out
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David Opie, IndieWire, 24 July 2025
In a three player game, two players play GI JOE against Cobra who starts out with more resources.
—Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
The word started out as an abbreviation, or more precisely, an initialism - where initial letters are pronounced separately (as opposed to an acronym, where the initial letters are pronounced as a word).
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 23 July 2025
Daniel Mogg, who started out working on Sunday Night Football before becoming chief creative officer for Russell Wilson’s production company West2East Empire, will direct.
—Peter White, Deadline, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for start out
Cite this Entry
“Start out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/start%20out. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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