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Start

/stɑːt/

The beginning of an activity.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Start"

noun

1
The beginning of an activity.
"The movie was entertaining from start to finish."
2
A sudden involuntary movement.
"He woke with a start."
3
The beginning point of a race, a board game, etc.
"Captured pieces are returned to the start of the board."
4
An appearance in a sports game, horserace, etc., from the beginning of the event.
"Jones has been a substitute before, but made his first start for the team last Sunday."

🔄 Synonyms of "Start"

30 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
offsetverb	Anything that acts as counterbalance; a compensating equivalent.
initiateverb	(transitive) To begin; to start.
partnoun	A portion; a component.
jumpverb	(intransitive) To propel oneself rapidly upward, downward and/or in any horizontal direction such that momentum causes the body to become airborne.
commenceverb	(intransitive) To begin, start.
startleverb	(transitive) To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
commencementnoun	(education) The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students and others.
getverb	(transitive or ditransitive) To obtain; to acquire.
departverb	(intransitive) To leave.
beginverb	(ergative) To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.
firstnoun	Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest.
beginningnoun	(uncountable) The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states.
outsetnoun	An onset; the beginning or initial stage of something.
set offverb	(idiomatic, intransitive) To leave; to set out; to begin a journey or trip.
kickoffnoun	Alternative spelling of kick-off. [(soccer, American football) The opening kick of each half of a game of football.]
set aboutverb	(intransitive) To start doing or to devote oneself to some task; to set upon.
originateverb	(intransitive) To come into existence; to have origin or beginning; to spring, be derived (from, with).
set outverb	(intransitive) To start an activity with the intention of finishing it.
set forthverb	(intransitive) To begin a journey or expedition.
startingnoun	The act of something that starts.
take offverb	(intransitive) To leave the ground and ascend into the air or into flight.
take upverb	(transitive) To lift; to raise.
get goingverb	(intransitive) To leave, to depart, to get moving.
embark onverb	get off the ground
start upverb	(transitive) To commence the operation of; to activate; to launch.

↔️ Antonyms of "Start"

Words with the opposite meaning.

Word	Definition
terminateverb	(transitive) To end something, especially when left in an incomplete state.
ceaseverb	(formal, intransitive) To stop.
endnoun	The terminal point of something in space or time.
stopverb	(intransitive) To cease moving.
finishverb	(transitive) To complete (something).
middlenoun	A centre, midpoint.
endingnoun	A termination or conclusion.
finishingnoun	The act of completing something.
haltnoun	(intransitive) To stop either temporarily or permanently.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Start"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
beginverb	(ergative) To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.
commenceverb	(intransitive) To begin, start.
beginningnoun	(uncountable) The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states.
outsetnoun	An onset; the beginning or initial stage of something.
commencementnoun	(education) The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students and others.
set aboutverb	(intransitive) To start doing or to devote oneself to some task; to set upon.
head startnoun	(idiomatic) An advantage consisting in starting a competition or task earlier than might be expected; given (or taken), for example, prior to the beginning of a race.
getverb	(transitive or ditransitive) To obtain; to acquire.
originateverb	(intransitive) To come into existence; to have origin or beginning; to spring, be derived (from, with).
take upverb	(transitive) To lift; to raise.
initiateverb	(transitive) To begin; to start.
offsetverb	Anything that acts as counterbalance; a compensating equivalent.
set outverb	(intransitive) To start an activity with the intention of finishing it.
set forthverb	(intransitive) To begin a journey or expedition.
firstnoun	Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest.
set offverb	(idiomatic, intransitive) To leave; to set out; to begin a journey or trip.
start upverb	(transitive) To commence the operation of; to activate; to launch.
get goingverb	(intransitive) To leave, to depart, to get moving.
start outverb	To begin.
take offverb	(intransitive) To leave the ground and ascend into the air or into flight.