initiator

noun

as in founder
a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor as the initiator of printing from movable type, Gutenberg revolutionized people's access to written language

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 initiator Reaching out to express gratitude, offer help, or simply listen is consistently rated as more rewarding by the recipient than the initiator expects. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Repurposing a prototype One of the scientists, and the initiator of the record-creating project, was Pierre Léna. — Dhananjay Khadilkar, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 On the flip side, having multiple initiators on offense can also be big, and Reaves next to Dončić makes sense in that respect. — Zach Harper, New York Times, 1 July 2026 The researchers used liquid metal particles (LMPs) as initiators for polymerization, the chemical process used to form the hydrogel network. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026 His top recommendation for the latter was Pitzock, the restaurant run by his uncle Oskar Messner, one of the initiators of the Slow Food movement in the valley and among the most knowledgeable sources in the region on local ingredients and tradition. — Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2026 Los Angeles also employed Luke Kennard as a ballhandler and initiator, and guard Marcus Smart is back after missing nearly three weeks with a right ankle injury. — ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 Peterson is breathtakingly talented as a scorer and on-ball initiator, but health concerns have marred an otherwise impressive freshman season. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026 History suggests that wars aimed at reshaping political systems hardly ever unfold as their initiators intend. — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for initiator
  1. founder
  2. creator
  3. inventor
  4. author
  5. father
Noun
  • The founders of Nova Roots Academy, the Hot Springs microschool that shut down without warning in late July, have been located by law enforcement in Florida.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Joe Gerrity, CEO and co-founder of hemp beverage manufacturer Crescent Canna, said his company has already laid off half of its employees because of how congressional inaction has affected the business this year.
    — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of founder
Noun
  • Throughout the first season of Furious, creator Elizabeth Meriwether and company deftly explored the idea of female vengeance, all while making Catherine into a kind of antihero for the ages.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Visual art pieces will come from Sacramento-area creators like Taner Pasamehmetoglu, Jason Silva, Ginger Thompson, Raul Mejia and second-generation neon sign artist Melissa Uroff.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of creator
Noun
  • The prizes’ name is a reference to Ignatius (Ig) Nobel—a fictional character said to be a distant cousin of Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, for whom the Nobel Prizes are named—and is also a pun on the word ignoble.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Fortuny was founded in 1921 by artist and inventor Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of inventor
Noun
  • The authors noted that skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and contact dermatitis can appear in the perianal region, where bidet use may help.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The authors describe that interpretation as hypothesis-generating and in need of further study.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of author
Noun
  • The Dune star has five older half siblings from her father’s previous relationship.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 2 Sep. 2026
  • His father, William Hawley, said legal action was the only way to get answers.
    — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of father

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initiative
initiator
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Cite this Entry

“Initiator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initiator. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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