starts 1 of 2

Definition of startsnext
present tense third-person singular of start
1
as in jumps
to move suddenly and sharply (as in surprise) I started from my chair when I heard the sudden scream

Synonyms & Similar Words

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starts

2 of 2

noun

plural of start

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of starts
Verb
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 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 But the cargo container only begins to move once a human worker starts the conveyor belt to move the container toward the aircraft. ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026 The conflict starts when Jason realizes the horse drank the last beer during their travels, sending him on a hunt for another cold one. Ryan Brennan april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026 By mid-April, the foliage starts to emerge. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026 Early voting starts May 18 and runs through May 22. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026 On April 15, Governor Ron DeSantis called for a legislative special session, which starts today and runs through Friday. Kerry Sheridan, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026 Add reserved sauce and cook, stirring often, until sauce starts to cling to chicken and green beans, 1–2 minutes. Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
Roony has spent the season in Yamal’s shadow, making just eight starts. Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 Cole, meanwhile, is two starts into his assignment following Tommy John surgery. Gary Phillips, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026 Westlands officials have said community funding tied to solar revenues would likely begin years after construction starts, once projects are operating — a timeline that concerns residents already struggling with rising bills and fewer farm jobs. Jeff St. John, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026 There was also an eight-game losing streak fueled by the slow starts from Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, among others. Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 From spring cleaning to garden prep, the season of fresh starts has arrived! Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026 Read More TopicsMet Gala 2026 The Met Gala buzz starts now. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026 In six starts at Long Beach, Palou never has finished lower than fifth. Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Fitzpatrick's win on Sunday marked his second in his last three starts, having won the Valspar Championship in late March. Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for starts
Verb
  • The main reason this position group jumps up so much is Georgia transfer Dominick Kelly, who provides key depth.
    Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • As a viewer, your mind instantly jumps back to the pre-Jackson 5 brothers practicing in their living room in Gary, Indiana, in the 1960s.
    Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Last year, people searching for missing relatives founds piles of shoes and other clothing, as well as bone fragments at what authorities later said was a Jalisco cartel recruitment and training site.
    Fabiola Sanchez, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026
  • Last year, people searching for missing relatives founds piles of shoes and other clothing, as well as bone fragments, at what authorities later said was a Jalisco cartel recruitment and training site.
    Garrett Haake, NBC news, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Once repair is complete, growth hormone activates a brainstem region called the locus coeruleus, which gently nudges you toward waking.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Dreaming big is par for the course when Mercury activates Jupiter.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • Part of it protrudes from the exterior, with natural airflow helping keep the food inside chilled.
    Adam Williams March 29, New Atlas, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The lone camera is a single round lens that protrudes from the upper-left corner of the rear panel.
    Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • 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
Noun
  • This is a year of new beginnings, adventures and major changes.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Gerrymandering as a practice goes back to the beginnings of the republic—the term comes from maps drawn under Governor Elbridge Gerry in 1812.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The first episode establishes immediately that something is uniquely off about Widow’s Bay, and not just because Shep, a shipman patrolling the waters at night, goes missing, potentially because he’s been taken by a sinister fog.
    Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The new law establishes a foreign agent registration requirement, ensuring individuals acting on behalf of hostile foreign governments cannot operate in the shadows.
    Joe Gebbia Sr, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Starts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/starts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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