start - begin - commence

start - begin - commence: If you start, begin, or commence something, you do it from a particular time.

My father started work when he was ten.

The prisoners plan to begin a hunger strike today.

I commenced a round of visits.
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There is no difference in meaning between these words, but commence is a formal word. You do not use it in conversation.
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The past tense of `begin' is began, not `beginned' or `begun'.

Botanists everywhere began a dramatic revision of their ideas.
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The past participle is begun.

The company has begun a programme of rationalization.
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◊ used with other verbs

You can use a `to'-infinitive or an `-ing' form after start and begin.

Ralph started to run.

He started laughing.

I was beginning to feel better.

We began chattering and laughing together.
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Note that you do not use an `-ing' form after starting or beginning. You do not say, for example, `Now that I feel better, I'm beginning eating more'. You must say `Now that I feel better, I'm beginning to eat more'.
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After commence, you use an `-ing' form. You do not use a `to'-infinitive.

He let his oars sink into the water and commenced pulling with long strokes.
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◊ used as intransitive verbs

Start, begin, and commence can all be used as intransitive verbs to say that something happens from a particular time.

His meeting starts at 7.

My career as a journalist was about to begin.

He had been held for 9 months when his trial commenced.
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◊ special uses of 'start'

Start has some special meanings. You do not use begin or commence with any of these meanings.
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You use start to say that someone makes a machine or engine start to work.

He couldn't get his engine started.

He started the car and drove off.
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You use start to say that someone creates a business or other organization.

He scraped up the money to start a restaurant.
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In stories, start is used to say that someone starts to move in a particular direction.

Ralph started back to the shelters.

They started down the street together.
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begin, commence — These words are alike in meaning to start, to originate, to cause to come into being : Come on, let s begin the meeting. When will the fireworks display commence? Commence is stronger in its suggestion of initiative, of action originated by some… … Dictionary of problem words and expressions
begin — begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate are comparable when they mean to set something going or in progress or to take the first step in a course, process, or operation. Begin, commence, and start are also used intransitively with the… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
start — commence, begin, start 1. Commence is a more formal Latinate word for begin or start. Fowler s advice (1926) was to use begin and its derivatives except when these seem incongruous (which is in fact rare); occasions when commence is more… … Modern English usage
begin — commence, begin, start 1. Commence is a more formal Latinate word for begin or start. Fowler s advice (1926) was to use begin and its derivatives except when these seem incongruous (which is in fact rare); occasions when commence is more… … Modern English usage
commence — commence, begin, start 1. Commence is a more formal Latinate word for begin or start. Fowler s advice (1926) was to use begin and its derivatives except when these seem incongruous (which is in fact rare); occasions when commence is more… … Modern English usage
start off — begin, commence, start; set out, begin a journey; cause someone to begin doing something … English contemporary dictionary
start — vb *begin, commence, initiate, inaugurate Analogous words: institute, *found, establish, organize: *enter, penetrate: originate, proceed, *spring … New Dictionary of Synonyms
start — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) v. begin, commence, set out; jerk, jump, shy; loosen, crack; originate; get going; startle, rouse. See beginning, propulsion, impulse, departure, fear. II (Roget s IV) n. 1. [The beginning] Syn.… … English dictionary for students
begin — verb (began; begun; beginning) Etymology: Middle English beginnen, from Old English beginnan; akin to Old High German biginnan to begin, Old English onginnan Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to do the first part of an action … New Collegiate Dictionary
start — 1. verb 1) the meeting starts at 7:45 Syn: begin, commence, get underway, go ahead, get going; informal kick off Ant: finish 2) this was how her illness had started Syn: arise, com … Thesaurus of popular words

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start - begin - commence

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