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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

started

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verb (2)

past tense of start
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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
Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, lost hundreds of trees following the destruction from Hurricane Helene last fall, with players commenting on it ahead of the Masters starting this week. Fox News Staff, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025 The pause came hours after the European Union voted to approve retaliatory tariffs on $23 billion in goods, starting April 15, in response to Trump’s previously announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum—which remain in effect. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Most products aren’t made and assembled from start to end in one country. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Apr. 2025 Walmart stock was off to a hot start Wednesday morning, climbing 4 points (5.0%) in the first hour of trading. Kevin Ryan, Quartz, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
That’s quite a feat for a team that started playing football in 1925. Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 The cold of the night had returned, and the baby had started to shiver. Karen Zautyk, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for start
Recent Examples of Synonyms for start
Noun
  • At the beginning of last year, Del Rey shared a snippet of the ballad without any context.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2025
  • At the beginning of Carrie Coon‘s time in Thailand filming this season of The White Lotus, she — along with her costars Leslie Bibb and Michelle Monaghan — was reckoning with the idea that their plotline felt much quieter than the others.
    Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Jeannie Leavitt, the first female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, delivered the spring commencement speech last year.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Oscar winner Jane Fonda will deliver USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism commencement speech as its 2025 keynote speaker, the school announced today.
    Tom Tapp, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • For those seeking less volatility than individual stocks, consider the High-Quality portfolio, which has outperformed the S&P 500 and delivered returns of over 91% since its inception.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Since its inception, the event has grown while maintaining the welcoming feel of peeking into someone’s life and design style.
    Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • More importantly, failing to articulate an acceptable mistake at the onset will leave your team without the language to define which levers were most important to drive business goals.
    Rebecca Shaddix, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Measles rash appears three to five days after the onset of the first symptoms.
    USA Today, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The launch collection will consist of around 14 pieces, ranging from sports bras and tops to shorts, leggings, sweatpants, hoodies and lightweight outerwear.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • That’s quite a strong performance for the series, which had already landed among the top three launches in Paramount+ history, alongside Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 and Landman — all of which have been major hits for producers Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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