start out

phrasal verb

started out; starting out; starts out

: 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 + with

I started out with $100 but I have only $10 left.

Let's start out with some warm-up exercises.

: 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.

: 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.

: to begin a trip

They started out in the early morning.

: 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

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.

In this movie, Roy Cohn starts out strong and his health and strength decline throughout. —

Carita Rizzo, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2024 This year's honorees range from countries, airlines, and tech giants to startups, small nonprofits, and even a handful of operations that started out as one-person shows. —

Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2024 What started out as a novelty race is now a surprisingly popular way of testing your limits—which makes the format intriguing to scientists seeking to understand what defines those limits. —

Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 4 Nov. 2024 Well, my guessing game started out fire today and then collapsed into tragedy. —

Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for start out