begin

verb

be·​gin bi-ˈgin 

bē-

began bi-ˈgan 

bē-

; begun bi-ˈgən 

bē-

; beginning

intransitive verb

1

: to do the first part of an action : go into the first part of a process : start

began by introducing herself

will have to begin again

2

a

: to come into existence : arise

Their problems were just beginning.

b

: to have a starting point

Her career began in Chicago.

Prices begin at $110 per night.

3

: to do or succeed in the least degree

I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am.

transitive verb

1

: to set about the activity of : start

They began the lecture at 10:00.

have already begun construction

2

a

: to bring into being : found

credited with beginning the movement

In 1819, he married the daughter of a … chief and began a dynasty that would last for nearly 200 years.

—Robert F. Oaks

b

: originate, invent

began their tradition

Phrases

to begin with

: as the first thing to be considered

Synonyms

• commence
• embark (on or upon)
• enter (into or upon)
• fall (to)
• get off
• kick off
• launch
• lead off
• open
• start
• strike (into)

Choose the Right Synonym for begin

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip

began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing

commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of begin in a Sentence

They will begin construction on the new school soon.

I got the job and I begin work on Monday!

She'll begin the lecture at 10.

He plans to begin the project later this week.

They both began their careers at the local newspaper.

The university began accepting applications in November.

I had just begun eating when the phone rang.

She interrupted as soon as I began to speak.

Now that I've begun, I'll go on till I finish.

I began the quilt last month.

Recent Examples on the Web

And, of course, as with any social media stunt, there is the question of where reality ends and the embellishment begins. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2024

Benett / WireImage via Getty Images file Fans began to speculate that behind-the-scenes drama was dividing the cast. —Doha Madani, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024

Kansas City’s three-peat is beginning to feel inevitable. —Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 27 Dec. 2024

When Ronnie begins to hint at retirement, Michael too begins to imagine another life. —Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beginnen, going back to Old English beginnan, from be- be- + -ginnan, going back to Germanic *genn-a-, verbal base of uncertain meaning and origin occurring only with prefixes, found also in Old English onginnan "to be at a starting point, start," Old High German beginnan, Gothic duginnan

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing begin

• can't begin to tell you
• can't even begin to describe
• tempers begin to fray

Kids Definition

begin

verb

be·​gin bi-ˈgin 

began -ˈgan  ; begun -ˈgən  ; beginning

1

: to do or be the first part of an action or course : start

begin your homework

it began to rain

2

: to come or bring into existence : originate

the war began in 1939

3

: to do or succeed in the least degree

does not begin to fill our needs

Biographical Definition

Begin

biographical name

Be·​gin ˈbā-gin 

Me*na*chem mə-ˈnä-ḵəm  1913–1992 prime minister of Israel (1977–83)