# initiate

/ˌɪˈnɪʃiˌeɪt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/initiate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to start a process

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to make something start, especially an official process or a plan.

For teachers: to set a process or action in motion. Transitive; often used in formal or professional contexts regarding procedures.

- The government decided to initiate a new program to help small businesses.
- The legal team chose to initiate formal proceedings after the mediation phase failed to produce a satisfactory settlement for the claimant.

Usage: Often takes a direct object representing a formal procedure or project.

### 2. to admit to a group

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to introduce someone to a new activity or to make them a member of a secret group.

For teachers: to admit someone into a membership, often through a specific ritual or by providing specialized knowledge.

- They will initiate the new members into the club during a ceremony tonight.
- The secret society would only initiate those who had proven their loyalty through a series of rigorous intellectual challenges.

Usage: Commonly used with the preposition 'into'.

### 3. a new member

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a person who has recently joined a group or has just learned secret information.

For teachers: a person who has been recently initiated into an organization or a body of knowledge.

- The initiates were nervous as they waited for the ceremony to begin.
- As a recent initiate to the research circle, she spent most of the first meeting listening to the senior fellows debate policy.

## Examples

- The new initiates learned the rules of the club.
- During the ceremony, each initiate received a handbook containing the private history of the society.
- While the public sees only the final performance, the initiates are privy to the rigorous training and philosophical foundations that define the order's identity.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.