begin

verb

bi-ˈgin How to pronounce begin (audio)
Definition of beginnext
1
as in to commence
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) she began walking to work for exercise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to start
to come into existence the storm began late in the day and lasted all night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word begin different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of begin are commence, inaugurate, initiate, start, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How is commence related to other words for begin?

Commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When could inaugurate be used to replace begin?

The words inaugurate and begin are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

When would initiate be a good substitute for begin?

While the synonyms initiate and begin are close in meaning, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

Where would start be a reasonable alternative to begin?

The synonyms start and begin are sometimes interchangeable, but start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How are the words usher in and inaugurate related as synonyms of begin?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

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 begin That window begins either with their first year in college or the year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 The district contracted with outside law firm Brooks Pierce for $275 an hour, plus fees, to conduct the probe, beginning in mid-May. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026 The first-place Sox began a three-game series Friday against the third-place Minnesota Twins at Target Field. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Spending early – and often The spending often starts before college classes begin. — Adrienne Roberts, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for begin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for begin
  1. commence
  2. start
  3. establish
  4. open
  5. originate
  6. initiate
  7. arise
  8. found
Verb
  • The game commenced with four unanswered scores from Jenks and sloppy play from Southlake Carroll that included a handful of early penalties, messy substitutions and a lack of rhythm.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cloud service agreements totaled $29 billion, with data center leases not commenced of $25 billion, equity investments of $25 billion, and capital expenditures of $8 billion.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of commence
Verb
  • To improve chances of a timely reply, patients should start messages by greeting their doctor by name, ideally including both first and last names.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • And then Joe Milton started putting it together and had two outstanding preseason games.
    — Jon Machota, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of start
Verb
  • Its immediate goal is to establish pilot-scale production while continuing to develop partnerships across the fusion and advanced nuclear industries.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Once an account is established, parents, guardians, grandparents and others can also contribute up to $5,000 per year until the year before the beneficiary turns 18.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of establish
Verb
  • Behind Earl, who started at wide receiver and also played safety, North Chicago orchestrated a one-week turnaround for the ages, putting its 61-12 season-opening loss to Zion-Benton in the rearview mirror.
    — Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Gates officially open Monday, August 31, but just over half of the attendees will arrive earlier to build the big art installations and other features of the temporary city.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of open
Verb
  • The country's armed forces said that it was targeted by a missile attack that originated from Iranian territory.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • More broadly, the open-source movement has made robust design systems available beyond the organizations that originated them.
    — Goran Paun, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of originate
Verb
  • Who initiated, what was delegated, and which agents and tools took part?
    — Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Later, his father and uncle would initiate him into the masculine play worlds of Albany’s bars, poolrooms, and bowling alleys.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of initiate
Verb
  • Ather Energy Ather says it's also mitigated a couple of potentially awful situations that might arise with the key.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Situations will always arise where sophisticated reasoning is worth every dollar.
    — Tiffany Chang, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of arise
Verb
  • The company was founded in Atlanta by Georgia Tech students, and is still headquartered in the city.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Candle True Stories is part of Candle Media, the media holding company co-founded by former Disney execs Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of found

Browse Nearby Words

begging off
begin
beginner
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Cite this Entry

“Begin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/begin. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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