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:
The nonprofit said at the time that it would continue operating the East Potomac course “until the National Park Service is ready to commence a historic restoration there.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
If he fails to return for the sentencing hearing, the UK authorities are expected to commence extradition proceedings.
From BBC ● Jun. 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
His treatment of the Troll Wall in Norway, Europe’s highest rock face and the cliff Sasha is scaling when the film commences, is a hallucination that turns the world upside down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 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
Two minutes after easing onto the 405 Freeway, the freak-out that began this story and revealed that Segel is driving alongside us commences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
The singing commences again, and I realize that the Easter matins have begun.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
The Japanese currency has commenced a new downward march, so perhaps it’s time for a new plan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 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
She now commenced to practise her husband’s precepts.
From "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" by Frederick Douglass
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
Reports indicate SpaceX is targeting a June listing with trading commencing shortly after.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
The squad is set to be named in the week beginning 18 May, with an England training camp in Loughborough commencing on 25 May.
From BBC ● May 7, 2026
Also, it’s commencing a structurally stronger earnings cycle, with margin expansion expected to be aided by drivers including higher contribution from complex and differentiated formulations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
“Mister Devine,” the governor said, abruptly rising from the stool and commencing to pace deliberately up and down the center of the room.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
