Synonyms

begin

¹ American

[bih-gin] / bɪˈgɪn /

verb (used without object)

began, begun, beginning

to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start.

The story begins with their marriage.

Antonyms:

end
to come into existence; arise; originate.

The custom began during the Civil War.

verb (used with object)

began, begun, beginning

to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of (some action).

Begin the job tomorrow.
to originate; be the originator of.

civic leaders who began the reform movement.

Synonyms:

initiate, inaugurate, institute
to succeed to the slightest extent in (followed by an infinitive).

The money won't even begin to cover expenses.

Begin ² American

[bey-gin] / ˈbeɪ gɪn /

noun

Menachem 1913–92, Israeli political leader, born in Poland: prime minister 1977–83; Nobel Peace Prize 1978.

begin ¹ British

/ bɪˈɡɪn /

verb

to start or cause to start (something or to do something)
to bring or come into being for the first time; arise or originate
to start to say or speak
(used with a negative) to have the least capacity (to do something)

he couldn't begin to compete with her
in the first place

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Begin ² British

/ ˈbɛɡɪn /

noun

Menachem (məˈnɑːkɪm). 1913–92, Israeli statesman, born in Poland. In Palestine after 1942, he became a leader of the militant Zionists; prime minister of Israel (1977–83); Nobel peace prize jointly with Sadat 1978. In 1979 he concluded the Camp David treaty with Anwar Sadat of Egypt

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

begin Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing begin

Related Words

Begin, commence, initiate, start (when followed by noun or gerund) refer to setting into motion or progress something that continues for some time. Begin is the common term: to begin knitting a sweater. Commence is a more formal word, often suggesting a more prolonged or elaborate beginning: to commence proceedings in court. Initiate implies an active and often ingenious first act in a new field: to initiate a new procedure. Start means to make a first move or to set out on a course of action: to start paving a street.

Etymology

Origin of begin

First recorded before 1000; Middle English beginnen, Old English beginnan, equivalent to be- be- + -ginnan “to begin,” perhaps originally “to open,” akin to yawn

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Now that the home has been sold and the proceeds disbursed, will there be a problem presenting this will when beginning probate in Florida?

From MarketWatch

“They began the letter by saying that Nancy is OK but scared,” Levin said.

From Los Angeles Times

"Flying was his passion. He was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline, a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination."

From BBC

This correlates with Usman's account - that locals had received warnings days before the violence began.

From BBC

The players have had it up their tonsils with the fighting talk, knowing that only deeds and not words are going to get the job done, beginning in Rome on Saturday.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023