commence
Americanverb (used with or without object)
-
commences,
present (3rd person singular)
-
commenced,
past participle, past
-
commencing
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See begin.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
commencesimple
-
commencessimple
-
have commencedperfect
-
has commencedperfect
-
am commencingprogressive
-
are commencingprogressive
-
is commencingprogressive
-
have been commencingperfect progressive
-
has been commencingperfect progressive
Past
-
commencedsimple
-
had commencedperfect
-
was commencingprogressive
-
were commencingprogressive
-
had been commencingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of commence
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English commencen, from Anglo-French, Middle French comencer, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin cominitiāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + initiāre “to begin”; see initiate
Explanation
Commence is a fancy way of saying "begin." Your invitation to a formal wedding might note, "The ceremony will commence at noon." If a congressman wants to start a meeting to vote on an important bill, he might say, "This meeting will begin immediately." Or, he could make the same statement in a more formal way by saying, "This meeting will commence immediately." Interestingly enough, while the word commence means to start, a commencement ceremony marks the end of a college career.
Vocabulary lists containing commence
Bud, Not Buddy
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
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List 8
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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:
Boeing had originally intended to commence deliveries in 2019 on the 737 MAX 7, which has a maximum of 172 seats.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
Starting in 2027, competition will commence in July, break briefly during the winter, and end in May.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Complications commence when a space research vessel smashes into Prodigy Corp.-controlled Bangkok.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
"The labour union will lawfully commence a general strike tomorrow as scheduled."
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
“I been thinking,” she said, “how you better commence to tremble when the Lord, He gives you your heart’s desire.”
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
July 6: Boeing commences production on the "North Line" in Everett, Washington, part of a strategy to increase output of the 737 MAX.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
One might say the menu at “The Bear” has gone from soup to nuts, because as season 5 commences, the staff is coming unhinged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
In Ryan Coogler’s Imax spectacle, where the blues collides with vampires, the monstrous transformation commences with Pearline’s siren call: “Pale, Pale Moon.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2026
District Judge Tanya Chutkan, has to decide before the actual trial commences what evidence proffered by the DOJ will be admissible.
From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2024
E. says she can perceive sigh, commences as soon as painful thought crosses mind, before it can have affected respiration.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Mr. Trump was talking to Tucker Carlson by phone in the weeks before the Iran war commenced.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Structural removal commenced Tuesday and is now 6.5% complete, and there are around 200 people working on the site around the clock.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
That’s changed since last fall, when a historic borrowing spree to fund AI infrastructure commenced.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
Once the Revolutionary War commenced, and for years after, America’s merchant marine fleet was targeted by pirates of every stripe.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
All was noise and confusion as the woman pulled herself up again and commenced bellowing.
From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman
Hanson said she was "disappointed" with the decision and that she and her legal team would review it "with a view to commencing an appeal in the High Court of Australia".
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
There would be an annual championship game between the two leagues, commencing at the end of the 1966 season, and both leagues would hold a common draft of college players, effectively ending a bidding war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
Reports indicate SpaceX is targeting a June listing with trading commencing shortly after.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
But it is unlikely, as it strategised ahead of commencing the attacks on Iran, that the US fully foresaw some of these economic consequences.
From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026
“Tower. Engine explosion! Cockpit lights out. Am commencing starboard turn to avoid populated area. Will attempt to punch out when wings are level. Wish me luck. Over.”
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
