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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
  • Castle & Key began restoring the property in 2014 and opened up in September 2018.
    Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2025
  • City officials began gathering public feedback on the golf carts ordinance in January and February during a listening tour.
    Jake Allen, IndyStar, 26 July 2025
Verb
  • No work, no people, no complaints When major work will commence again remains unclear, even to neighbors.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2025
  • But candid photos captured the same day of Holmes and Jackson together shooting a mystery project on the streets of New York suggest that production may have already commenced.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • The plan is the department's effort to establish a clear vision while seeking community input to create a roadmap for the department over the next five years.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 24 July 2025
  • The 2026 budget proposal eliminates the part of the Ryan White program that establishes and funds all AIDS education and training centers across the United States.
    Katherine Weaver, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Leo activates your solar 10th house, urging bold moves, leadership, and visibility.
    Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 24 July 2025
  • Then, just place your first bet to activate your offer.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • However, following the July 17 announcement, the first week of new shows (July 21-24) for The Late Show jumped to average 1 million households.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • Other recent theme park incidents that made headlines include a backstage fire at Epcot at Walt Disney World in Florida, and riders who jumped off of a raft ride after becoming stuck on the attraction at Six Flags Over Texas in June 2024.
    EW.com, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • In Khao Yai National Park near Kong Kaeo Waterfall, for example, researchers found a robber fly attached to the bottom of a leaf with small flower-like growths protruding from its head, thorax and abdomen, earning the new fungus the name Ophiocordyceps floriformis.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025
  • Wilson was sporting a welt on the protruding bone on his left wrist after the game, which quickly received a wrap from the team’s medical staff.
    Chris Biderman July 8, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Bloc Party appeared on NPR Tiny Desk for the first time with a career-spanning set that goes back to the very beginning.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2025
  • 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
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
  • To find the meteor shower, look toward the constellation Perseus, where the radiant of the Perseids appear to originate from.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 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 29 Jul. 2025.

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