Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

initiated

American  
[ih-nish-ee-ey-tid] / ɪˈnɪʃ iˌeɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. already having some knowledge of or experience in a particular art or subject.

    While other shows have faded into obscurity, Twin Peaks continues to capture the imaginations of new and initiated viewers alike.

  2. admitted or accepted with formal rites into an organization or group, adult society, secret knowledge, etc..

    He is an initiated Wiccan priest, a healer and seer, and a keen student of natural medicine.

  3. begun, originated, or set going.

    Despite the initiated reforms, markets are not convinced that this EU member country will be able to avoid restructuring its debt.

  4. Government. proposed by initiative.

    In such cases a group of citizens can propose an initiated constitutional amendment to the people for a statewide vote.

verb

  1. the simple past tense and past participle of initiate.

Other Word Forms

  • quasi-initiated adjective
  • uninitiated adjective
  • well-initiated adjective

Etymology

Origin of initiated

initiate ( def. ) + -ed 2

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.

Los Angeles City Council members initiated an analysis of such a tax in 2020, but nothing came of it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The 25th Amendment can be initiated by the vice president and a majority of cabinet members should they determine the president is unfit to discharge his or her powers and duties in office.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The years-long defamation proceedings - initiated by Roberts-Smith - marked the first time in history that any court had examined claims of war crimes by Australian forces.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Benchmark analyst Yi Fu Lee initiated coverage of the shares with a buy rating and a $450 price target on Tuesday, and now 92% of the analysts tracked by FactSet have bullish stances.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

“His tribe...you mean the people who initiated him? Who drilled his skull?”

From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman

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.