1 A2 neutral
To begin a journey from a particular place
"They started out from London and planned to reach Edinburgh by evening."
start out
A2 neutral intransitive
To begin a journey, career, or process, especially at a humble or specific starting point
In plain English
To begin something, especially a journey or career, from a certain point
What does "start out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To begin one's career, life, or a process in a particular role or situation
"She started out as a junior assistant and worked her way up to director."
“
"I started out as an actor, and I've always thought of what I do as performance."
— David Bowie, interview with Rolling Stone, 1987
3 B1 neutral
To have a particular intention or plan at the beginning (often with 'to')
"I started out to write a short story, but it turned into a novel."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To start and go out — to leave and begin a journey or path
Actually means
To begin something, especially a journey or career, from a certain point
Usage tip
Very common in both American and British English. Particularly used when talking about the beginning of a career, life story, or long process, often with the implication of subsequent change or development (e.g., 'started out as a teacher, ended up as a CEO'). Also used for physical journeys.
Words that pair with "start out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
career life journey business as with intention
How to conjugate "start out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
start out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
starts out
he/she/it
Past simple
started out
yesterday
Past participle
started out
have + pp
-ing form
starting out
continuous
Hear "start out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "start out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "start out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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