"started by" vs "started with"

Question

"started by" vs "started with"

Both "started with" and "started by" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Started with" is used to indicate the initial action or item in a sequence, while "started by" is used to indicate the person or thing that initiated an action.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

Use "started by" to indicate the person or thing that initiated an action.

Examples:

The project was started by a group of volunteers.
The fire was started by a faulty electrical wire.
The company was started by two college friends.
The movement was started by a passionate leader.
The rumor was started by a misinformed individual.

Alternatives:

initiated by
commenced by
begun by
set in motion by
launched by

Use "started with" to indicate the initial action or item in a sequence.

Examples:

The meeting started with a brief introduction.
She started with a warm greeting before diving into the presentation.
The book started with a quote from a famous author.
The journey started with a single step.
The recipe started with a list of ingredients.

Alternatives:

began with
commenced with
initiated with
kicked off with
opened with

Answer 1

started by

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

started with

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"started by" vs "started with"

started by

started with

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