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Definitions

at the outset

ADVERB
first
Synonyms
STRONGEST
initially originally
WEAK
ahead before all else beforehand in the first place to begin with to start with
Antonyms
WEAK
finally last
ADVERB
originally
Synonyms
STRONGEST
basically formerly
STRONG
primitively
WEAK
at first at the start by birth by origin first in the beginning in the first place incipiently primarily to begin with
Antonyms
WEAK
secondarily

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We’re here to win,” May said at the outset of the tournament.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Agentic AI is fundamentally shifting the compute landscape in AI data centers, which relied heavily on graphics processing units at the outset.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

McMillan revealed their personality traits had been among the "insights" studied at the outset of putting the rink together.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Joe Sterling, one of the best three-point shooters in the country, tried to put up a three-point attempt from long range at the outset of the third quarter on Wednesday night at Sierra Canyon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

Eventually, we would plan to send out messages on our own and receive answers, but at the outset it seems more practical to begin by catching snatches of conversation between others.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas