start
verb (used without object)
to begin or set out, as on a journey or activity.
start
1 American
[stahrt]
/ stɑrt /
verb (used without object)
-
starts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
started,
past participle, past
-
starting
present participle
-
to begin or set out, as on a journey or activity.
-
to appear or come suddenly into action, life, view, etc.; rise or issue suddenly forth.
-
to spring, move, or dart suddenly from a position or place.
The rabbit started from the bush.
-
to be among the entrants in a race or the initial participants in a game or contest.
-
to give a sudden, involuntary jerk, jump, or twitch, as from a shock of surprise, alarm, or pain.
The sudden clap of thunder caused everyone to start.
-
to protrude.
eyes seeming to start from their sockets.
-
to spring, slip, or work loose from place or fastenings, as timbers or other structural parts.
verb (used with object)
-
starts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
started,
past participle, past
-
starting
present participle
-
to set moving, going, or acting; to set in operation.
to start an automobile; to start a fire.
-
to establish or found.
to start a new business.
- Synonyms:
- institute
-
to begin work on.
to start a book.
-
to enable or help (someone) set out on a journey, a career, or the like.
The record started the young singer on the road to stardom.
-
to cause or choose to be an entrant in a game or contest.
He started his ace pitcher in the crucial game.
-
to cause (an object) to work loose from place or fastenings.
-
to rouse (game) from its lair or covert; flush.
-
to draw or discharge (liquid or other contents) from a vessel or container; empty (a container).
-
Archaic. to cause to twitch, jump, or flinch involuntarily; startle.
noun
-
starts
plural
-
a beginning of an action, journey, etc.
- Synonyms:
- onset, commencement
-
a signal to move, proceed, or begin, as on a course or in a race.
-
a place or time from which something begins.
-
the first part or beginning segment of anything.
The start of the book was good but the last half was dull.
-
an instance of being a participant in a race or an initial participant in a game or contest.
The horse won his first two starts.
-
a sudden, springing movement from a position.
-
a sudden, involuntary jerking movement of the body.
to awake with a start.
-
a lead or advance of specified amount, as over competitors or pursuers.
-
the position or advantage of one who starts first.
The youngest child should have the start over the rest.
-
a chance, opportunity, aid, or encouragement given to one starting on a course or career.
The bride's parents gave the couple a start by buying them a house.
-
a spurt of activity.
-
a starting of parts from their place or fastenings in a structure.
-
the resulting break or opening.
-
an outburst or sally, as of emotion, wit, or fancy.
START
2
American
[stahrt]
/ stɑrt /
noun
start
1
British
/ stɑːt /
verb
-
to begin or cause to begin (something or to do something); come or cause to come into being, operation, etc
he started a quarrel
they started to work
-
to make or cause to make a beginning of (a process, series of actions, etc)
they started on the project
-
(sometimes foll by up) to set or be set in motion
he started up the machine
-
(intr) to make a sudden involuntary movement of one's body, from or as if from fright; jump
-
(intr; sometimes foll by up, away, etc) to spring or jump suddenly from a position or place
-
to establish or be established; set up
to start a business
-
(tr) to support (someone) in the first part of a venture, career, etc
-
to work or cause to work loose
-
to enter or be entered in a race
-
(intr) to flow violently from a source
wine started from a hole in the cask
-
(tr) to rouse (game) from a hiding place, lair, etc
-
(intr) (esp of eyes) to bulge; pop
-
an archaic word for startle
-
informal (intr) to commence quarrelling or causing a disturbance
-
in the first place
noun
-
the first or first part of a series of actions or operations, a journey, etc
-
the place or time of starting, as of a race or performance
-
a signal to proceed, as in a race
-
a lead or advantage, either in time or distance and usually of specified extent, in a competitive activity
he had an hour's start on me
-
a slight involuntary movement of the body, as through fright, surprise, etc
she gave a start as I entered
-
an opportunity to enter a career, undertake a project, etc
-
informal a surprising incident
-
a part that has come loose or been disengaged
-
spasmodically; without concerted effort
-
in the first place
START
2
British
/ stɑːt /
acronym
start
Idioms
Synonym Usage
See begin.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
startsimple
-
startssimple
-
have startedperfect
-
has startedperfect
-
am startingprogressive
-
are startingprogressive
-
is startingprogressive
-
have been startingperfect progressive
-
has been startingperfect progressive
Past
-
startedsimple
-
had startedperfect
-
was startingprogressive
-
were startingprogressive
-
had been startingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of start
First recorded before 1150; Middle English verb sterte(n), stirte(n), “to rush out, leap” (cognate with Middle High German sterzen ); replacing Old English styrtan (attested once), cognate with German stürzen; noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
The beginning of something is the start. The start of the movie may have been a little slow, but by the end you were on the edge of your seat. As a verb, start means to begin an activity or event. Some people turn to the last page of a book before they even start it, so they'll be prepared for the ending. Start can also mean to move suddenly in surprise or alarm, or to startle. This is actually the original meaning of the word start, which comes from the Old English word styrtan, meaning to caper or to leap up.
Vocabulary lists containing start
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.
See Examples For:
Leicester, relegated to League One for just the second time in their history last season, will start their latest campaign in the third tier under head coach Russell Martin at Notts County on Saturday.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
At the start of their disc jockey journey, they remixed already established songs, from Bad Bunny and Bomba Estéreo’s “Ojitos Lindos” to Bellakath’s “Gatita.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Amazon and Twitch are not the first to start absorbing user data to build AI models as competition in the sector heats up.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
She bought one domestic Groupon package for a July trip with her daughter, who is about to start college.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
I could sit on the stage, but the band would start setting up soon.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
But New START, which expired on February 5, restricted the United States and Russia to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads each -- a number Washington says China is fast approaching.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as "New START" and signed in 2010 was one of a handful of agreements designed to help prevent a catastrophic nuclear war.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026
New START, which limits the U.S. and Russia to 1,550 nuclear warheads, is set to expire on Feb. 5.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
The New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between Russia and the United States, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 18, 2024
He told us he had then on these mountains 15,000 head of dear, and thought we might like to see a START, as it is called.
From Letters from England by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft
The new powertrain starts with Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer SUV and will later be offered on Ram trucks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
However, partial eclipses -- which occur as the Moon starts and finishes crossing the Sun -- will last around one hour and 45 minutes.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
“It’s important to recognize that people work in fits and starts. It’s like starting an exercise program. You start running, and six weeks in, something starts hurting and you have to stop for a while.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Joy’s emotional journey is just beginning as she starts to process this devastating event,” the page reads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
“And you! I’ve been reading about you, the splash you’re making in The Thief of Bagdad. The wife and I are quite excited to see it when it starts showing here in LA.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Around 77% of students who started their T-level in 2024, and were therefore expected to complete it this year, have received results.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Bobbie’s co-founder and CEO Laura Modi, an Airbnb alum and mother of four, started the brand in 2018 and gained clearance to enter the direct-to-consumer U.S. market from the Food and Drug Administration in 2021.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
This process got started in 2024 when the Legislature passed a law directing the Virginia State Crime Commission to review these questionable cases in which Burton was involved.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026
Dealertrack data showed 57% of auto loans started in July had an amount financed at signing that was above the vehicle’s value, according to Gregory.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
To provide an official reason for his visits to Haarlem, he started conducting a weekly prayer fellowship at the Beje each Wednesday morning.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
“The cost has shown up in loan structure instead: longer terms, down payments that never fully retreated, and a persistently high share of borrowers starting underwater,” Gregory said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Every inch of this house-shaped book contributes to the subtle spookiness of our tale, starting with the cover.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
This has shown no signs of stopping, despite mounting evidence every day that the planet is under increasing stress and people are starting to suffer in vast numbers.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
“Affluent families are starting to say, ‘Hey, this is actually really good to have alongside all of my investments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
“I can tell by your eyes you’re already starting to doubt me,” she said in a voice that was strangely choked.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
