1
2
3
as in to inaugurate
to put into an office or welcome into an organization with special ceremonies initiated her as Surgeon General before an army of reporters and photographers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word initiate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of initiate are begin, commence, inaugurate, start, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

How does the word begin relate to other synonyms for initiate?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How is commence related to other words for initiate?

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

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When would inaugurate be a good substitute for initiate?

The meanings of inaugurate and initiate largely overlap; however, inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

Where would start be a reasonable alternative to initiate?

While the synonyms start and initiate are close in meaning, start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How are the words usher in and inaugurate related as synonyms of initiate?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

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 initiate On Wednesday, Oppenheimer initiated coverage with an outperform rating , citing increasing advertiser demand as a catalyst for growth. Sean Conlon, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025 The original script had Angela texting Lee something that made Lee want to return, so Tran asked Ahn what that text might have said to initiate their reunion. Abigail Lee, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025 The musicians begin playing a theme, and then every minute or so someone initiates a change—maybe a new key—and the rest react. Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 The political decision to initiate armed conflict is likely to assume a short war; the political decision to bring the fighting to an end will likely reflect the inescapable costs and consequences of a long war. Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for initiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for initiate
Verb
  • With the rules well established by the club surrounding ownership of Augusta National’s rye green blazers, there’s little chance a Masters green jacket will permanently leave the golf course grounds ever again.
    Larry Holder, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
  • When racial segregation was officially banned, White Americans established private swim clubs that required members to pay a fee that wasn’t always affordable.
    Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona, has introduced legislation that would make overpayments from more than ten years ago no longer recoverable by the SSA.
    Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Programs like the University of Chicago’s Policing Leadership Academy develop leaders and introduce them to strategies to implement organizational change and use data to inform decision making.
    Kenneth E. Corey, New York Daily News, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The ceremony to inaugurate the star was shielded from public view and briefly disrupted by a confrontation between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators, according to Variety.
    Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Executive Order also called for the report to identify how many people from said countries had entered the United States since Biden was inaugurated as President.
    Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Since it was launched by former President George W. Bush in 2003, PEPFAR has saved 25 million lives globally, supported 7 million orphans and vulnerable children, and enabled 5.5 million babies to be born HIV-free, according to the U.S. State Department.
    Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen Akambase, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In recent years, films that were launched at Cannes have increasingly found themselves in the Oscar hunt.
    Eric Henderson, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Natural Disasters, Lex Luger, and Michelle McCool will also be inducted.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The Reds inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2006.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The crisis has created a surge in patriotism among Canadians, with many in the country feeling that Carney is the best person to lead the country at the moment.
    Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The project is also intended to contribute to maintaining existing forests and creating new ones.
    Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Hartford Courant Another option is to install an above-ground macerating toilet.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025
  • This system is much easier to install than the sewage ejector pump and pit.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The two surgeons who founded it had pioneered techniques that used a woman’s own body tissue to form new breasts post mastectomy.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 Apr. 2025
  • The 2025 awards specifically honored individuals pioneering discoveries in gene editing, human diseases, and the fundamental particles of the universe and its underlying mathematical principles.
    Ashley Lan, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Initiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/initiate. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on initiate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!