began
6 synonyms and 3 antonyms for began, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — Past tense of begin: started to happen, or started to do something.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
started
commenced
set out
embarked on
originated
started out
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
Past tense of begin: started to happen, or started to do something.
“The rain began just as we left the house.”
started
commenced
set out
embarked on
Opposites
2. verb
Past tense of begin in the sense of coming into existence or having its origin.
“The company began as a market stall in Leeds.”
originated
started out
How to use began
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
began to realise
it all began
began life as
began work on
Neutral, and slightly more formal than started in most contexts.
Etymology
Past tense of begin, from Old English beginnan 'to attempt, undertake'.
Full origin of began →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between began and begun?
Began is the simple past and stands alone: 'The film began at eight.' Begun is the past participle and needs a helper verb: 'The film has begun.' If there is no have, has, had or was, you want began.
Is it 'had began' or 'had begun'?
Had begun. Any form of have takes the past participle, which is begun. 'Had began' is a common error but is never correct.
