Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for initiator. Search instead for Initiators.
Synonyms

initiator

British  
/ ɪˈnɪʃɪˌeɪtə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that initiates

  2. chem a substance that starts a chain reaction

  3. chem an explosive used in detonators

"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

Other Word Forms

  • initiatress noun

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.

He was an initiator of "Inked Without Regret", a 2020 declaration seen by the court as evidence of the subversive intentions of its signatories.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

"It is something that we first suggested nearly 15 years ago, and now we have the numerical framework to demonstrate it," says Ravit Helled, Professor at the University of Zurich and initiator of the project.

From Science Daily • Dec. 10, 2025

The pardon entreaty might have been dismissed out of hand had it not been for its initiator — Luis Donaldo Colosio Riojas, son and namesake of the slain candidate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2024

Ms Rowbotham said Carriera "became integral in popularising the use of pastels and as an initiator of the Rococo style and is remembered as one of the most successful female artists of any era".

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2023

Mystagogue, mis′ta-gōg, n. an initiator into religious mysteries, a teacher or catechist—also Mystagō′gus.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various