start 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈstärt How to pronounce start (audio)
Definition of startnext
1
as in to jump
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream

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2
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of started the impressionist movement in art

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3
as in to activate
to cause to function trying to start the car on a frigid morning

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4
as in to begin
to come into existence the fight started when one child tripped the other

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5
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point frightened horses with starting eyes

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6
as in to commence
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment

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start

2 of 4

noun (1)

as in beginning
the point at which something begins knew from the start of the game that he would win easily

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starts

3 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of start
1
as in jumps
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream

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2
as in founds
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of started the impressionist movement in art

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3
as in activates
to cause to function trying to start the car on a frigid morning

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4
as in begins
to come into existence the fight started when one child tripped the other

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in protrudes
to extend outward beyond a usual point frightened horses with starting eyes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in commences
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment

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starts

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural of start
as in beginnings
the point at which something begins knew from the start of the game that he would win easily

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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
An ‘endangered’ town starts planning With federal recognition proving elusive, a Brooklyn school grant writer named Kay Diamond suggested that Rogers and others look to Landmarks Illinois for help. —Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2025 When things take a shadow turn, Gromit starts to question the true nature of the experiment. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for start

Phrases Containing start

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star-spangled
start
started
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Cite this Entry

“Start.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/start. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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