start crossword clue

February 13, 2026

The crossword clue “Start” is very common, and the exact answer depends on how many letters you need and any letters you already have.

Here are some of the most frequent answers for a clue like “start” (or “Start!” / “to start”) that recent crossword helpers list:

3–4 letters
- DAWN (beginning, as in the dawn of time)

* ONSET (often clued as “start of something”) – 5 letters but very common

5 letters
- BEGIN

* INTRO (as in the start of a song or book)

* GETGO (as in “from the get-go”)

6 letters
- OUTSET

* SETOUT (as in “to set out” = to start)

* ORIGIN

* LAUNCH

7–8 letters
- OPENING (the start of an event or movie)

* COMMENCE / COMMENCE (8 letters, very common for “start”)

* ACTIVATE (to start something functioning)

* GETGOING (phrasal, sometimes appears)

* INITIATE (another formal “start”)

9+ letters
- INSTIGATE (start, often of trouble)

* BEGINNING (the start)

* COMMENCEMENT (formal “start”, like a ceremony)

* ACTIVATION (the act of starting)

Quick HTML table of common “start” answers

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Length</th>
      <th>Possible Answer</th>
      <th>Hint/Meaning</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>4</td>
      <td>DAWN</td>
      <td>Start of a day or period [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>5</td>
      <td>BEGIN</td>
      <td>To start, very common crossword answer [web:1][web:2][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>5</td>
      <td>ONSET</td>
      <td>Start of something (often “of illness”) [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>5</td>
      <td>INTRO</td>
      <td>Start of a song, show, or talk [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>5</td>
      <td>GETGO</td>
      <td>As in “from the get-go” = from the start [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>6</td>
      <td>OUTSET</td>
      <td>The very beginning [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>6</td>
      <td>SETOUT</td>
      <td>To begin a journey or task [web:1][web:2][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>6</td>
      <td>ORIGIN</td>
      <td>Point where something begins [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>6</td>
      <td>LAUNCH</td>
      <td>To start a project, product, or rocket [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>7</td>
      <td>OPENING</td>
      <td>Start of a show, event, or game [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>8</td>
      <td>COMMENCE</td>
      <td>Formal verb meaning “start” [web:1][web:2][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>8</td>
      <td>INITIATE</td>
      <td>To begin or set in motion [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>8</td>
      <td>ACTIVATE</td>
      <td>Start something working (device, system) [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>9</td>
      <td>INSTIGATE</td>
      <td>Start, especially trouble or action [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>9</td>
      <td>BEGINNING</td>
      <td>The start of something [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>10</td>
      <td>ACTIVATION</td>
      <td>The act of starting something up [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>12</td>
      <td>COMMENCEMENT</td>
      <td>Formal or ceremonial start [web:3]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

If you tell me the letter count (and any known letters, like “_ E G I N” for a 5-letter answer), I can narrow this down to the most likely single solution for your specific puzzle.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.