Start — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun abbreviation /ˈstärt/

Meaning & Definition of Start

Start (verb)

  1. to come into being, activity, or operation
  2. have a particular beginning, to begin at a specified place or in a specified way
  3. to issue with sudden force

Start (noun)

  1. a sudden involuntary bodily movement or reaction
  2. a brief and sudden action or movement
  3. a sudden capricious impulse or outburst

Start (abbreviation)

  1. strategic arms reduction talks

Start (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come into existence

    "the fight started when one child tripped the other"

    similar: actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, spring
    related: be, breathe, exist, live, subsist, arrive, come on, emerge, coalesce, cohere, shape (up), continue, endure, last, persist, survive
    opposite: cease, end, stop
    near: conclude, desist, discontinue, finish, halt, quit, terminate, disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish, depart, die, expire, pass away, perish

  2. to take the first step in (a process or course of action)

    "we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment"

    similar: begin, commence, embark (on or upon), enter (into or upon), fall (to), get off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, strike (into), get going, get to, set about
    related: create, generate, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, invent, originate, adopt, embrace, take on, take up, establish, father, found, institute, organize, pioneer, set up, spawn, get around (to), get down (to), get round (to)
    opposite: conclude, end, finish, terminate
    near: cease, desist, discontinue, halt, knock off, lay off, quit, stop, close, complete, abandon, forsake, leave, abolish, demolish, destroy, exterminate, extinguish, phase out

  3. to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of

    "started the impressionist movement in art"

    similar: begin, constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, plant, set up
    related: author, father, originate, conceive, concoct, contrive, cook (up), create, devise, fabricate, invent, make up, manufacture, produce, think (up), construct, put up, develop, enlarge, expand, endow, finance, fund, subsidize, arrange, organize, systematize, systemize, refound, reinitiate, reinstitute, relaunch
    opposite: close (down), phase out, shut (up)
    near: abolish, annihilate, annul, nullify, end, finish, halt, stop, terminate, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up

  4. to cause to function

    "trying to start the car on a frigid morning"

    similar: activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, run, set off, spark, touch off, trigger, turn on
    related: kick over, turn over, charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push, discharge, launch, release, switch, trip, reactivate, recharge, arouse, excite, jump-start, kick-start, stimulate, vitalize, ignite, incite, instigate, provoke, quicken, stir up, accelerate, catalyze, speed (up), step up
    opposite: cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off
    near: arrest, brake, check, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick, stop, decelerate, repress, slow, stunt, suppress

  5. to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise)

    "I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream"

    similar: bolt, jump, startle
    related: jerk, jolt, twitch, blench, cringe, flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, spook, squinch, wince, bound, leap, spring, react, respond

  6. to extend outward beyond a usual point

    "frightened horses with starting eyes"

    similar: bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bulge, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch (chiefly dialect), pouch, pout, project, protrude, stand out, stick out, swell
    related: dome, blow up, inflate, dilate, distend, expand, mushroom, snowball, elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch
    near: compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

Start (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the point at which something begins

    "knew from the start of the game that he would win easily"

    similar: alpha, baseline, beginning, birth, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go, inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, threshold
    related: drawing board, first base, ground zero, square one, creation, founding, inauguration, initiation, institution, origination, cradle, fountain, fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, well, wellspring, dawning, opening, advent, appearance, arrival, debut, emergence, childhood, infancy, youth
    opposite: close, conclusion, end, ending, omega
    near: cessation, closing, closure, completion, finale, finish, period, stop, termination, windup

Related Entry: Jump-start (verb)

Jump-start is a different word from Start. The synonyms below are for jump-start, not for start.

  1. to give life, vigor, or spirit to

    "an intentionally provocative comment that was supposed to jump-start the discussion"

    similar: amp (up), animate, brace, energize, enliven, fillip, fire, ginger (up), invigorate, jazz (up), juice up, liven (up), pep (up), quicken, spike, stimulate, vitalize, vivify, zip (up)
    related: arouse, awake, awaken, raise, rouse, stir, wake (up), activate, actuate, drive, impel, motivate, motive, move, propel, charge, electrify, galvanize, enkindle, excite, ferment, foment, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, set off, spark, trigger, turn on, whip (up), abet, boost, buoy, cheer, embolden, fortify, hearten, infuse, inspire, lift, rally, steel, strengthen, reactivate, reanimate, reawake, reawaken, recharge, recreate, reenergize, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, restimulate, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive
    opposite: damp, dampen, deaden, dull, kill
    near: burn out, debilitate, do in, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fag, fatigue, harass, kayo, knock out, sap, tucker (out), undermine, wash out, weaken, wear, wear out, weary, check, curb, inhibit, jade, quell, quench, repress, restrain, slow, still, stunt, suppress, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

Related Entry: To start with (phrase)

To start with is a different word from Start. The synonyms below are for to start with, not for start.

  1. in the beginning

    "We didn't have many resources to start with, but we're now seeing steady increases in revenue."

    similar: firstly, initially, originally, primarily, at first
    related: incipiently, primitively
    near: finally, lastly, ultimately

Related Entry: Head start (noun)

Head start is a different word from Start. The synonyms below are for head start, not for start.

  1. as in start, lead

    similar: allowance, lead, leg up, margin, odds, start, advantage, better, bulge, catbird seat, drop, edge, high ground, inside track, jump, pull, stead, upper hand, vantage, whip hand, ascendancy, command, dominance, mastery, predominance, superiority, supremacy, transcendence, transcendency, precedence, preference, prerogative, privilege, seniority, break, foothold, opportunity, benefit, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, manna, windfall
    opposite: disadvantage, drawback, handicap, liability, minus, penalty, strike, detriment, stranglehold, disparity, imbalance, inequality, unevenness, disability, failing, impairment, shortcoming, bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, rub, shackle, stop, trammel, lurch, setback

Related Entry: Kick-start (verb)

Kick-start is a different word from Start. The synonyms below are for kick-start, not for start.

  1. as in jump-start

    similar: jump-start, reanimate, recharge, regenerate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, revivify, rewake, rewaken, reactivate, restart, reinvent, refresh, refreshen
    opposite: extinguish, kill, quench, suppress

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Start

The most common words with a similar meaning to Start:

Chiefly dialect: pooch
actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form, materialize, originate, set in, spring, embark (on or upon), enter (into or upon), fall (to), get off, kick off, launch, lead off, open, strike (into), constitute, establish, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, pioneer, plant, set up, activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, run, set off

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Start

Words with the opposite meaning of Start:

cease, end, stop, conclude, finish, terminate, close (down), phase out, shut (up), cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off, close, conclusion, ending, omega

Related Words for Start

be, breathe, exist, live, subsist, arrive, come on, emerge, coalesce, cohere, shape (up), continue, endure, last, persist, survive, create, generate, invent, adopt, embrace, take on, take up, father, organize, spawn, get around (to), get down (to), get round (to), author

Near Antonyms of Start

desist, discontinue, halt, quit, disappear, dissolve, evaporate, vanish, depart, die, expire, pass away, perish, knock off, lay off, complete, abandon, forsake, leave, abolish, demolish, destroy, exterminate, extinguish, annihilate, annul, nullify, round (off or out), wind up, wrap up

Word Forms of Start

Inflections: started, starting, starts

Origin & Etymology of Start

Middle English sterten; akin to Middle High German sterzen to stand up stiffly, move quickly

First known use: 13th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Start

Words & Phrases Containing Start

start something, start-up, start a family, start from scratch, start in, start in on, start off

Frequently Asked Questions about Start

What does "Start" mean?

"Start" means to come into being, activity, or operation. As an a verb, a noun and an abbreviation, it is defined as: to come into being, activity, or operation. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Start"?

Other words for "Start" include actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn and engender. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Start" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Start"?

There are 230 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Start". Common alternatives include actualize, appear, arise, begin, break, commence, dawn, engender, form and materialize.

What is the opposite of "Start"?

Antonyms of "Start" include cease, end, stop, conclude, finish, terminate, close (down) and phase out. Near antonyms include desist, discontinue, halt and quit.

How do you use "Start" in a sentence?

Examples of "Start" in a sentence: "the fight started when one child tripped the other"; "we'll be ready to start the concert in a moment"; "started the impressionist movement in art".

Is "Start" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Start" can be used as a verb, a noun and an abbreviation, depending on the context.

Is "Start" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Start" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Start"?

"Start" is pronounced /ˈstärt/.