Synonyms: Begin

From sprouting seeds to opening curtains to first steps on fresh snow, this list explores the myriad ways in which journeys start and adventures unfold, offering words to describe every commencement and kickoff.
12 words 843 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. appear
    come into being or existence
    A red flashing dot suddenly appeared on the screen. Stormbreaker
  2. arise
    originate or come into being
    Those differences arose initially from natural variation among the wild plants themselves. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
  3. commence
    begin or get started
    As Ms. Wyman commences to speak, she forms her mouth into the perfect imitation of a smile. The Misfits
  4. develop
    come into existence; take on form or shape
    And true to his word, he arranged to have the Fifteenth Cavalry from Fort Myer, Virginia, moved to the western perimeter of Washington, DC, to be ready to assist if trouble developed. Votes for Women!
  5. emerge
    come up to the surface of or rise
    In the years since the aids virus emerged, the village of Kasensero has been devastated. The Hot Zone
  6. inaugurate
    commence officially
    The White House meeting that formally inaugurated the thermonuclear age took all of seven minutes, and it only lasted that long because Lilienthal asked for the time to express his dissenting view. Big Science
  7. initiate
    set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
    The universe and everything in it could collapse into a massive singularity, or it could initiate another Big Bang, a new beginning to the universe. We Are the Ants
  8. institute
    set up or lay the groundwork for
    “It’s your problem. Because if you don’t go through with the deal, they’re going to institute court-martial proceedings as soon as you sign out of the hospital.” Catch-22
  9. launch
    begin with vigor
    Probably the first medical use of modern insecticides occurred in Italy in 1943 when the Allied Military Government launched a successful attack on typhus by dusting enormous numbers of people with DDT. Silent Spring
  10. originate
    come into existence; take on form or shape
    All cancers originate from a single cell gone wrong and are categorized based on the type of cell they start from. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
  11. surface
    appear or become visible
    Jewish parents could no longer reassure children with the phrase "It will soon be over," and a new phrase surfaced: "If this is the worst that happens." The Boy on the Wooden Box
  12. undertake
    enter upon an activity or enterprise
    He threw his directional instruments and his maps into a knapsack, and he undertook the reckless adventure. One Hundred Years of Solitude
Created on Fri Apr 12 16:16:34 EDT 2024 (updated Fri Jan 24 15:22:57 EST 2025)

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