commence
verb
com·mence
kə-ˈmen(t)s 
commenced; commencing
: to enter upon : begin
commence proceedings
commencer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of commence in a Sentence
Dear God, I thought, I've been infected by an earworm. My friend the Longhair says that's what you call songs that burrow into your head and commence chewing your brains.
—
Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Apr./1 May 2009
He thereupon commenced giving me this fantastically boring lecture about how the only reason I want a stuffed chicken is because they look so good in a shop window, and that the moment I received one I'd start dreaming up ways to ditch it.
—Douglas Coupland, Generation X, 1991
The policy would commence not only with the limiting of permits for the building of hotels and boats but with supervision—through expert architectural advice—of the construction of these boats and hotels …
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
"Why shoot, I thought you wanted to be a lawyer, you've already commenced going to court." The ladies laughed again.
—Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960
I have commenced two letters to send you before this, both of which displeased me before I got half done, and so I tore them up.
—Abraham Lincoln, letter, 4 May 1837
The festivities will commence with a parade.
Their contract commences in January.
The court commenced criminal proceedings.
The country has commenced preparations for war.
Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Apr./1 May 2009
He thereupon commenced giving me this fantastically boring lecture about how the only reason I want a stuffed chicken is because they look so good in a shop window, and that the moment I received one I'd start dreaming up ways to ditch it.
—Douglas Coupland, Generation X, 1991
The policy would commence not only with the limiting of permits for the building of hotels and boats but with supervision—through expert architectural advice—of the construction of these boats and hotels …
—William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
"Why shoot, I thought you wanted to be a lawyer, you've already commenced going to court." The ladies laughed again.
—Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960
I have commenced two letters to send you before this, both of which displeased me before I got half done, and so I tore them up.
—Abraham Lincoln, letter, 4 May 1837
The festivities will commence with a parade.
Their contract commences in January.
The court commenced criminal proceedings.
The country has commenced preparations for war.
Recent Examples on the Web
Okay, so the holiday season hasn't exactly commenced just yet.
—Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024
Its other businesses commenced layoffs last year, as the company prioritizes the quality over the quantity of its content.
—Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
Production commenced in Los Angeles earlier this month.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2024
Production has commenced on the new Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere, and the first picture of Jeremy Allen White in the lead role is here.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2024
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Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024
Its other businesses commenced layoffs last year, as the company prioritizes the quality over the quantity of its content.
—Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
Production commenced in Los Angeles earlier this month.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2024
Production has commenced on the new Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere, and the first picture of Jeremy Allen White in the lead role is here.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commence
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Cite this Entry
“Commence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commence. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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Etymology
Middle English comencen "to begin," from early French comencer (same meaning), probably from a Latin word cominitiare "to begin," from com- "with, together" and initiare "to begin" — related to initiate
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