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.

Things started off in a typically slow way The day started out routinely enough, with networks looking to fill time till polls started closing. —

Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 6 Nov. 2024 Tampa Bay started out strong but multiple injuries have derailed their year. —

David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 At Disrupt, Levinson said Zoox would start out with employees as passengers in the SoMa neighborhood of San Francisco as well as the Las Vegas Strip. —

Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 2 Nov. 2024 The first inning started out strong: The Yankees walked Ohtani. —

Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for start out