Initiate

/ɪˈnɪʃ.i.eɪt/ · verb

Meaning

(transitive) To begin; to start..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To begin; to start.
2. (transitive) To instruct in the rudiments or principles; to introduce.
3. (transitive) To confer membership on; especially, to admit to a secret order with mysterious rites or ceremonies.
4. (intransitive) To do the first act; to perform the first rite; to take the initiative.
5. A new member of an organization.
6. One who has been through a ceremony of initiation.
7. One who is oriented in and familiar with a topic or subject; especially, one who is an expert in it.
8. (obsolete) Unpracticed, untried, new.

Example Sentences

How are changes of this sort to be initiated?

This is a very strong move, aptly timed. It initiates the tactical conception which routs Black's hopes.

Indigenous people, such as agriculturists, hunters, and pastoralists initiated a system of totemism and tabooism which in essence was a natural law against killing and eating certain animals.

A U235 bomb would therefore need to incorporate a gun weighing ten tons. Then there was the question of initiating or triggering the bomb.

Prior to firing the laser, a surgeon can preilluminate the area to be cut or ablated, enlarge or reduce the area, shape, or size, and then initiate the UV laser pulses for the actual ablation.

With the exception of anelloviruses, bidnaviruses, spiraviruses, and some inoviruses, the replicative protein of ssDNA viruses is the so-called HUH endonuclease that cuts genomic DNA at a specific site and initiates rolling circle (or rolling hairpin) replication.

Hall found the immediate cause at Rickerscote to have been the complete fracture of an axle on STS 53241, the freight train's ninth wagon. The fracture had been caused by fatigue initiated by corrosion pitting on the axle surface.

Divine Providence would only initiate and enter mankind into the useful knowledge of her, leaving the rest to employ our industry.

Synonyms for initiate

Antonyms for initiate

Related Words

Word Forms

• initiates
• initiating
• initiated
• more initiate
• most initiate

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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