ENGLISH
REFERENCE

commencing

v.
C1 Advanced US //kəˈmɛnsɪŋ// UK //kəmˈɛnsɪŋ// com·menc·ing

v. starting or beginning something. People often use this word in formal situations, like at a wedding or a business meeting.

v. the present participle of 'commence', meaning to begin or start an action or process. Often used in formal or legal contexts to describe the initiation of an event.


SIMPLE

The ceremony is commencing in five minutes.

CONTEXTUAL

The legal proceedings are commencing tomorrow morning at the city courthouse.

COMPLEX

By commencing the project without securing the necessary permits, the developer risked significant fines and a permanent halt to construction.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb can be transitive or intransitive; it is significantly more formal than 'start' or 'begin'.

Pitfall

The show is commencing at 8 PM.The show starts at 8 PM.While grammatically correct, 'commencing' is too formal for casual entertainment contexts; 'start' is the natural choice for everyday events.

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