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Meaning & use

starting point

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈstɑːtɪŋ pɔɪnt/
US/ˈstɑːrtɪŋ pɔɪnt/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    The place or moment at which a journey, race, or activity begins.

    Grammar: Countable; often used with 'the' or 'a'. Can be literal (a physical location) or figurative (a beginning idea).

    Patterns

    • the starting point for something
    • the starting point of something
    • a good starting point

    The starting point of the marathon is near the city hall.

    We met at the starting point of the trail before sunrise.

    The starting point for our discussion will be the latest report.

  2. nouncountable

    A first idea, fact, or situation from which something can be developed or understood.

    Grammar: Countable; often used in abstract contexts, followed by 'for' or 'of'.

    Patterns

    • a starting point for something
    • use something as a starting point
    • a useful starting point

    This data is a good starting point for our research.

    The theory served as a starting point for many later studies.

    Let's use this draft as a starting point and improve it together.

Word forms

pluralstarting points

Common combinations

a good starting point
A good starting point is to list all the problems.
the starting point for
The starting point for the project was a simple question.
use something as a starting point
You can use this template as a starting point.
return to the starting point
After the detour, we returned to the starting point.

Synonyms and how they differ

beginning
More general and often refers to the first part of something; 'starting point' emphasizes the place or idea from which something else develops.
origin
Focuses on the source or cause of something, often historical; 'starting point' is more about a practical or logical beginning.
baseline
A measured or known level used for comparison; 'starting point' is broader and can be a physical location.

Opposites

end pointdestination

Word family

start verb
To begin doing something.
starting adjective
Relating to the beginning of something, as in 'starting line'.

Commonly confused: starting point or start point?

starting point vs start point

Less common and often used in technical contexts; 'starting point' is the standard phrase in everyday English.

Practice

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