to begin with

8 synonyms and 3 antonyms for to begin with, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Phrase — Used to introduce the first point in a list of reasons or objections, often signalling that more will follow.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

initially originally

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

firstly

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

first of all for a start in the first place at first at the outset

Synonyms by Meaning

1. phrase

Used to introduce the first point in a list of reasons or objections, often signalling that more will follow.

“To begin with, the figures don't add up.”

first of all firstly for a start in the first place

2. phrase

At the outset; in the earliest stage of something, before matters changed.

“The house was a wreck to begin with, so we expected surprises.”

initially at first originally at the outset

Opposites

eventually in the end later

How to Use To Begin With

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

to begin with, there is was never there to begin with shouldn't have to begin with

Neutral, common in both speech and writing. As a list marker it often carries a faintly argumentative tone, hinting that further complaints are coming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between "to begin with" and "to start with"?

There is no difference in meaning; both work for introducing a first point and for describing an initial state. "To start with" is slightly more casual, and "to begin with" reads marginally more formal, but the two are interchangeable in almost every sentence.

Do you need a comma after "to begin with"?

Yes, when it opens a sentence as a discourse marker: "To begin with, the deadline is unrealistic." No comma is needed when it means "initially" and falls at the end: "There were only three of us to begin with."

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