to commence
- verb
- /kəˈmɛns/
- Formal
- After the introduction, the speaker will commence the presentation about climate change.
- commence a project
- prior to commencing
- commence training
At this point, plaintiff commenced work and this constituted a promise.
- At this point, plaintiff commenced work and this constituted a promise.
- Let the cooking and my first meal of the day commence.
- So let the time lapse commence and let's turn our floating tiny home into home sweet home.
- I'm going to pause on that to commence new practices.
- I think you don't have the time or energy or scale to commence even locally.
- So commence Drone Wars and let me introduce you to the contenders.
Examples
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We now commence the 17th parole hearing of Casanova Frankenstein.
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I'm going to pause on that to commence new practices.
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May I commence at 15 francs?
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And then he will go to sleep and get up again and have his bowl of oatmeal and commence the next day.
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I think you don't have the time or energy or scale to commence even locally.
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Without further ado, Dr. June Ross-Mitchell will commence the demonstration.
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When the interview sessions commenced, the researcher engaged the interviewee in a friendly conversation.
Academic text (2011) -
And then we commenced the search for a eyelash that's gone walkabout.
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By mid-to-late May, fishing in Chesapeake Bay commences, and by June, schools migrate into New England waters.
Academic text (1991) -
The conference will commence at 9 AM sharp, so please be on time.
Synonyms
To begin an action, event or process
To start an activity, event, or speech
Begin or continue an action after a pause, often as planned
To begin doing something, for example a task or meeting
To start something such as a project or discussion
To begin a job, project, or career
To start doing work or a task seriously
To start doing something with a clear aim
To start a new, important, or difficult activity
To start a new project, activity or journey that is often big and difficult
To start doing something in a determined way
To begin a new business or project
To start an event or activity, for example a speech
Begin speaking or acting quickly with energy about a topic
To start a project or activity
Antonyms
How Formal
- Formal
- Formal
Surface Forms
Etymology
Commence comes from an old French word comencer, built from com- 'with' and a root meaning 'begin', the same idea you see in initiate. So to commence is to 'begin' or start something.