to start with

Idioms  

1. Also, to begin with. In the first place, initially, as in We'll notify him by e-mail to start with, or To begin with, they haven't paid their taxes in years. The first term dates from the second half of the 1800s, the variant from the mid-1500s. Also see for openers.

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Example Sentences

I like to start with a frozen cheese pizza and spoon dollops of each sauce over the pie before baking.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026

You’re building a house every day, and you’ve got to start with foundation and then move all the way up.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Pirro’s allegations were suspect to start with; the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee said Powell did not commit a crime in his testimony on the building.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

While they may pay off eventually, to start with at least, “a new technology initially delivers more splash than macroeconomic results.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

"No, daddy-o, I'm going to start with one my own size!"

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• initially
• originally