Meaning & use
startup or start-up
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A young company, often in technology, that is designed to grow quickly.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a startup' or 'startups' in the plural.
Patterns
- launch a startup
- a tech startup
- startup culture
She left her bank job to launch a startup in the health sector.
The startup raised five million dollars in its first year.
Many startups fail because they run out of cash before finding customers.
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
The act or process of starting something, especially a machine or a computer system.
Grammar: Used with 'startup' as a noun: 'the startup of the engine'; often in technical writing.
Patterns
- startup of something
- startup procedure
- startup time
The startup of the new production line took several hours.
Check the startup sequence before you press the power button.
adjectivebefore a noun
Connected with the beginning of a business, project, or computer process.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: 'startup costs', 'startup phase'.
Patterns
- startup costs
- startup phase
- startup company
The startup costs for the restaurant were higher than expected.
During the startup phase, the team worked long hours.
Word forms
| plural | startups or start-ups |
|---|
Common combinations
- tech startup
- The tech startup was bought by a larger firm.
- launch a startup
- They plan to launch a startup next spring.
- startup capital
- The founders need startup capital to hire staff.
- startup culture
- Startup culture often values speed over tradition.
- startup costs
- We kept startup costs low by working from home.
Synonyms and how they differ
- new business
- A general term; 'startup' specifically suggests fast growth and often technology.
- venture
- A new business project, often with risk; 'startup' is more specific to young companies.
- company
- Any business organization; 'startup' is only for young, growing ones.
Opposites
Word family
- start up phrasal verb
- To begin operating or to make something begin operating.
- starter noun
- A person or thing that starts something, or a first course in a meal.
Commonly confused: startup or start-up or start up?
startup or start-up vs start up
As two words, it is a phrasal verb: 'The engine started up.' As one word or hyphenated, it is a noun or adjective: 'a startup company'.
Practice
Which sentence uses the noun form correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrasal verb is written as two words: 'start up'. 'Startup' and 'start-up' are nouns or adjectives, not verbs, so options An and C are wrong. Option D is not correct English.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “startup or start-up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.