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

See Examples For:

to start with

This is a hard one to start with because, while Aston Villa still haven't won or scored in the Premier League, they got a good win over Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

“We really wanted to start with baby steps to get people used to outside and then go into letting your kids take the lead and learn from them.”

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

One option is to start with sales data, assume that new EVs replace similar vehicles burning gasoline or diesel, then plug in numbers for distance traveled and fuel efficiency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

I tend to start with the protein and work outward: If two chicken breasts comfortably feed your two-person household, chop and freeze two with the scallions and ginger.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

That mania, to start with, for doing things in private.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Related Words

• initially
• originally