commence

[ kuh-mens ]

/ kəˈmɛns /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR commence ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with or without object), com·menced, com·menc·ing.

to begin; start.

Nearby words

commedia dell'arte, commemorate, commemoration, commemorative, commemoratory, commence, commencement, commend, commendable, commendam, commendation

Origin of commence

1250–1300; Middle English commencen < Anglo-French, Middle French comencer < Vulgar Latin *cominitiāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + initiāre to begin; see initiate

SYNONYMS FOR commence

originate, inaugurate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR commence ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

com·mence·a·ble, adjectivecom·menc·er, nounre·com·mence, verb, re·com·menced, re·com·menc·ing.un·com·menced, adjective

well-com·menced, adjective

Synonym study

See begin.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for commence

But in order to commence rebuilding them from the ground up, the world must first put out the fires of this current epidemic.
Millions Promised for Ebola Not Adding Up|Abby Haglage|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
However, only days before early voting was to commence, a local judge ordered the polling station open.
In North Carolina, GOP Overreach May Be More Unpopular Than Obama|Dean Obeidallah|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It builds to a masquerade ball, in which Not Harry and the women don masks and commence flirting.
You Really Don't Want to Watch Fox’s ‘I Wanna Marry “Harry”’|Jason Lynch|May 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This weekend, the battle will commence when the “Moms” and their allies demonstrate outside the NRA Convention in Indianapolis.
The NRA’s Worst Nightmare Is America’s Moms|Dean Obeidallah|April 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Which means the complaining about the Oscars is officially set to commence Monday morning.
The Worst Oscar Winners, From ‘Rocky’ and ‘Crash’ to Gwyneth Paltrow|Kevin Fallon, Marlow Stern|February 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They commence' to ax me questions concernin' some historical happenin's an' I answer them all.
Slave Narratives Vol. XIV. South Carolina, Part 2|Works Projects Administration
I wish my nobility to commence with myself and derive all my titles from the French people.
How to Succeed|Orison Swett Marden
I am just back from Savannah after an absence of twenty days, and return thither to commence operations in November next.
The Life of Isaac Ingalls Stevens, Volume I (of 2)|Hazard Stevens
We passed a few sad hours, until eleven oclock, when the trial was to commence.
Frankenstein|Mary Shelley
Miss Proctor has made a night-dress; and Monday I must commence vigorously upon her wardrobe.
Cora and The Doctor|Harriette Newell Baker

British Dictionary definitions for commence

commence

/ (kəˈmɛns) /

verb

to start or begin; come or cause to come into being, operation, etc

Derived Forms

commencer, noun

Word Origin for commence

C14: from Old French comencer, from Vulgar Latin cominitiāre (unattested), from Latin com- (intensive) + initiāre to begin, from initium a beginning

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