Showing results for "beginning"

• present participle of begin.

beginning

American  

[bih-gin-ing] / bɪˈgɪn ɪŋ /

noun

beginnings plural

1. an act or circumstance of entering upon an action or state.

   the beginning of hostilities.

   Synonyms:

   inception, inauguration, initiation

   Antonyms:

   ending

2. the point of time or space at which anything begins.

   the beginning of the Christian era; the beginning of the route.

   Synonyms:

   emergence, onset, outset, commencement, start

   Antonyms:

   end

3. the first part.

   the beginning of the book; the beginning of the month.

4. Often beginnings. the initial stage or part of anything.

   the beginnings of science.

5. origin; source; first cause.

   A misunderstanding about the rent was the beginning of their quarrel.

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adjective

1. just formed.

   a beginning company.

2. first; opening.

   the beginning chapters of a book.

3. basic or introductory.

   beginning Spanish.

4. learning the fundamentals.

   a beginning swimmer.

beginning British  

/ bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ /

noun

1. a start; commencement

2. (often plural) a first or early part or stage

3. the place where or time when something starts

4. an origin; source

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Usage

Spelling tips for beginning The word beginning is hard to spell for two reasons. It doesn't simply combine the base word (begin) with the suffix -ing, as is done in other easy-to-remember words that end in -ing, like starting and talking. Also, it can be tempting to use a double g (beggining) instead of a double n. How to spell beginning: To spell beginning, you take the base word begin and add an n at the end. Then, add the suffix -ing. Why do you need an extra n? Because you should begin right Now.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• beginnings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of beginning

First recorded in 1175–1225, beginning is from the Middle English word beginnung, begonning. See begin, -ing ¹

Explanation

The beginning is the first part or section of something, or the place where it starts. You watch the opening credits at the beginning of a movie. "In the beginning," says the beginning of the Bible, "God created the heavens and the earth." Beginning can mean the act of starting something (the day after Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas shopping season), or it can mean the time when something will start (Beginning at noon, all Christmas ornaments will go on sale.) Beginning can also refer to the origin of something, its root or source, as the beginning of the Mississippi River is Lake Itasca, Minnesota.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

beginning beginnings

"It's the beginning of the end of the fire, but it's the beginning of the crisis," she added.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

But the beginning of the Iran war drove rates upward and they have remained volatile since, with the housing market’s sales slump now well into its fourth year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Furthermore, if you overlook the two-month recession that occurred at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been a decade since the last major economic downturn.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

L.A. office attendance was 47% at the beginning of the month, less than the national average of 53% and far below the 73% recorded in Austin.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Lloyd was beginning to see the picture – the open grave steaming by lantern light.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Members of Trump's cabinet, South Carolina lawmakers and other guests also assembled for the ceremony, and to listen to tributes to Graham's military service and more than three decades in Congress after humble beginnings.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Others, like “Obsession,” catapult from modest beginnings into an echelon of popularity that not even the academics and historians could’ve foreseen.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Beyond LAX, the 1984 Olympics were also a “motivating force” to build the beginnings of L.A.’s modern rail system.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

Then, it was a more daring saga about a woman from very humble beginnings taking raw talent to the top of the retail world, motivated by a mix of ambition and vengeance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

That event marked the beginnings of King’s commitment to nonviolent direct action.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• birth
• creation
• dawn
• inauguration
• inception
• introduction
• onset
• opening
• outset
• starting point
• top