start out

phrasal verb

started out; starting out; starts out

1

: to begin in a specified way

He started out by introducing himself.

She started out at a slow jog.

The day started out hot and humid.

The story started out good, but I didn't like the ending.

She started out wanting to be a doctor but became a midwife instead.

—often + with

I started out with $100 but I have only $10 left.

Let's start out with some warm-up exercises.

2

: to have a specified quality, identity, job, etc., at the start

What started out as a simple idea has become an expensive and complicated project.

He started out in teaching before becoming a lawyer.

3

: to begin an important period in one's life or career

The couple is just starting out.

She started out on a career in teaching.

4

: to begin a trip

They started out in the early morning.

5

: to have a particular place as a beginning point

The parade starts out at the intersection of First and Main.

Examples of start out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most books tell you to start out doing this 10 times and work your way up from there. —Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 1 Jan. 2025

The Villa game was only Lamptey’s fourth Premier League start out of 19 since the German succeeded Roberto De Zerbi in the summer. —Andy Naylor, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024

Sterling had acquired the TV syndication company that Dolan and his wife of 73 years, Helen Dolan, started out of their home in Cleveland in the early 1950s. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 31 Dec. 2024

Deer began playing guitar at age 14, starting out at parties and clubs, and progressed to larger venues and festivals across Indiana, the Midwest and nationwide. —John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Dec. 2024