commences

verb

present tense third-person singular of commence
1
as in begins
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) commence the festivities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in starts
to come into existence the games commenced early in the morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 commences The Jet Set to the Beekman package commences with a Blade helicopter flight to Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan (from eligible departure points), where a house car will then take you to the Beekman’s West Turret penthouse. — Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 With a fury inside him, Garfield unleashes violence against them and commences the rebellion. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 July 2026 Players and coaches are away from team facilities, taking time to regroup before training camp commences at the end of July. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 8 July 2026 For borrowers looking to purchase a home or refinance their current one in this climate, however, there are also some strategic moves worth considering now, before the Fed's June meeting even commences. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 12 June 2026 Mercury’s pre-retrograde shadow (the weeks leading up to the celestial backspin when the planet slows down), which began on June 13 in water Cancer, starts the story for the planet’s moonwalk that commences on June 29. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 10 June 2026 Looking back at Barber, Spark commences some light back-pedaling. — Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 Falling back to the pack and seven points shy of San Jose, which won 4-1 at BMO Stadium on Sunday, LAFC has seen its recent MLS stumbles coincide with advancing to a two-leg CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal, which commences Wednesday at BMO Stadium and ends May 6 in Toluca, Mexico. — Josh Gross, Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026 But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure. — Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commences
  1. begins
  2. starts
  3. originates
  4. arises
  5. appears
Verb
  • Currently, free agency begins five days after the World Series, with no expiration on when players can sign.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • That window begins either with their first year in college or the year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of begins
Verb
  • The trail starts as a wide paved path before transitioning after about a third of a mile to a dirt path of varying widths.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The location gives Hinterland a sense of place before the music even starts.
    — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of starts
Verb
  • Fonseca Porto Siroco Extra Dry White Port Crisp as a new dollar bill with delicate floral and bitter notes, this bottling takes its name from the Mediterranean wind that originates in North Africa.
    — Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Private capital and foreign governments are still building on mRNA, and a growing share of the world’s programs now originates in China.
    — Jeff Coller, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of originates
Verb
  • In late 2023, Isabella was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma—a common malignant brain tumor that arises in the cerebellum, a part of the brain located at the base of the skull.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 2026
  • So, when the next challenge arises, managers can move past superficial symptoms and identify the underlying organizational roadblocks.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of arises
Verb
  • Security camera footage shows the shocking moment flood water crashes through the Nepal-China border area, with people seen running away as the water appears to wipe out everything in its path.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The squiggly logo is identical to its London counterpart save for the circumflex, which appears to have been lost in translation.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of appears

Browse Nearby Words

commencements
commences
commencing
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Commences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commences. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All