to start doing something, to come into existence, to perform the first part of an action

begin at the beginning, begin with a clean slate, begin to see the light

begin with, begin again, begin to see daylight

Formal and Informal Expressions of begin

In different contexts, you can replace 'begin' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'commence, initiate' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'start, kick off' is a commonplace synonym.

begin: Explore its Definition & Usage

begin Definition

1to start doing something
2to come into existence
3to perform the first part of an action

Using begin: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "begin" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
Let's begin the meeting.
Example
The concert will begin at 7 pm.
Example
I will begin my homework after dinner.
Example
The company began as a small startup.

begin Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for begin

Antonyms for begin

end
finish
conclude

Idioms Using begin

begin at the beginning
to start from the very first part of a story or task
Example
If you want to understand the situation, you need to begin at the beginning.
begin with a clean slate
to start over without any past mistakes or problems affecting the present
Example
After the divorce, she decided to move to a new city and begin with a clean slate.
begin to see the light
to start to understand something that was previously unclear
Example
After the explanation, I began to see the light on the topic.

Phrases with begin

begin with
to start with a particular person, thing, or aspect
Example
We'll begin with a brief introduction.
begin again
to start again after stopping
Example
If you make a mistake, just begin again.
begin to see daylight
to start to understand something that was previously unclear
Example
After studying for hours, I finally began to see daylight on the topic.

Origins of begin

from Old English 'beginnan', meaning 'to begin, attempt'

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Summary: begin in Brief

The verb 'begin' [bɪˈɡɪn] means to start doing something, to come into existence, or to perform the first part of an action. It can be used in various contexts, such as meetings, concerts, homework, and company origins. Phrases like 'begin with' and idioms like 'begin at the beginning' and 'begin with a clean slate' add further nuance to the term.