1
as in begins
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
commence the festivities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in starts
to come into existence
the games commenced early in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commences
Falling back to the pack and seven points shy of San Jose, which won 4-1 at BMO Stadium on Sunday, LAFC has seen its recent MLS stumbles coincide with advancing to a two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, which commences Wednesday at BMO Stadium and ends May 6 in Toluca, Mexico.
—
Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The new pact commences on January 2027 after Butterworth’s current deal with Paramount wraps up at the end of the year.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure.
—Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.
—Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
The strike will last until the union and the school district come to an agreement, which could mean hours or several days after the picket commences Thursday morning.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
The first set of intercontinental playoffs take place at the end of this year and the second phase commences in February 2027.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Sifford, who is currently the retailer’s vice chairman of the board, will fulfill the CEO responsibilities while the company commences a search for a permanent successor.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
The new pact commences on January 2027 after Butterworth’s current deal with Paramount wraps up at the end of the year.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure.
—Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.
—Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
If the sales go through and drilling eventually commences, large portions of the trail could, in theory, become unusable, forcing a reroute to keep it viable as a recreation setting.
—Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
The strike will last until the union and the school district come to an agreement, which could mean hours or several days after the picket commences Thursday morning.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
The first set of intercontinental playoffs take place at the end of this year and the second phase commences in February 2027.
—Emily Olsen, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Sifford, who is currently the retailer’s vice chairman of the board, will fulfill the CEO responsibilities while the company commences a search for a permanent successor.
—Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commences
Verb
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By Thursday through Saturday, highs are expected to reach near 90 degrees, marking a return to more summer-like conditions just as May begins.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Unfortunately for her, Steve’s more than ready for the attack, and what begins as a perfect friendship, devolves into an all-out feud.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If space starts to operate more like aviation, the pace of discovery could change in ways that ripple far beyond the aerospace industry.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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The chatbot starts with questions about a final group project and drills into details based on each student’s answers.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sandy, rocky soil and extreme heat will never phase ice plant, which originates from Africa.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
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That’s where the concept for this dessert actually originates.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Conflict arises when Jonas’ character turns one of his jam session partner’s tunes into a hit.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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If the right moment arises, however, Miller isn’t afraid to let some emotion fly.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Named for his grandfather, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro has for more than a decade acted as part bodyguard, part gatekeeper to Cuba’s most powerful living figure, always just feet away when Raúl Castro appears in public.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
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Another trend that Lu pinpointed was that the brand appears to maintain long-term relationships with suppliers; of the 800 apparel factories its uses, 314 (almost 40 percent) have worked with the company for over a decade, and 126 have produced garments for H&M for 6-10 yerars.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commences. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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