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

The new labels, which go live beginning Wednesday and that all major internet service providers (ISPs) will now be required to show, are among the latest steps by the US government to help consumers make sense of the mix of plans, fees and promotional rates on the market today. —Brian Fung, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024

The next wave of heavyweights begins at 1:12 p.m. with the must-see trio of Woods, Day and Homa starting at 1:24. —Bob Spear, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2024

The temporary closures are coming after the spring break crowds have started to dwindle at the Anaheim resort, and most of the attractions are expected to reopen before the summer crowds begin to arrive, a spokesperson for the theme park said. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

Assimilation is The Captain’s superpower, until assimilation begins to destroy him, and Xuande captures that sense of invisibility perfectly. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024

What began modestly enough — ice, syrup, cup — has since evolved into desserts of decadent, sundae-like proportions. —Matthew Dekneef, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024

As the years pressed on, there were also hippie-esque elements that began to appear in his wardrobe. —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 10 Apr. 2024

The walk starts at 9 a.m. and check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024

Ready to add new color to your walls but don't know where to begin? —Cincinnati Enquirer, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 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 even begin to describe
• can't begin to tell you
• to begin with
• 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)