starting S₁T₁A₁R₁T₁I₁N₁G₂

STARTING names the act of something beginning, but it also appears naturally as the -ing form of “start.” Its letter mix is unusually balanced for scoring: seven tiles are worth one point, while G adds two. The word has 10 one-letter neighbours, including familiar alternatives such as STARRING, STARVING, STARLING, and SMARTING.

STARTING at a glance

• STARTING contains eight tiles and scores 9 points before board bonuses.
• G is the sole two-point tile; every other tile scores one.
• RATTINGS is its single anagram.
• Ten one-letter neighbours include STARRING and STARVING.
• The ending -ING connects STARTING to 12 rhymes, including BEING and GOING.

What does STARTING mean?

STARTING means “the act of something that starts.” That definition treats it as a noun: the start or commencement of an event. In ordinary sentences, the same spelling also works as the present participle of start, as in “They are starting now.”

That split matters when you are checking a clue. A clue about an action or commencement points to the noun sense; a sentence describing what someone is doing uses the verb form. Its frequency rank of 878 fits its familiar everyday use.

For sound-based clues, STARTING sits with BEING, GOING, DOING, and GETTING among its rhymes. The shared -ing ending is a useful clue, but the words do not share a single meaning or grammatical role; match the clue's sentence before choosing one. THING is another short rhyme in the set.

How does STARTING score 9 points?

STARTING scores 9 points in Scrabble because S, T, A, R, T, I, and N each score one, while G scores two. The repeated T counts twice, so the tile arithmetic is 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+2. Premium letter or word squares can raise the board total.

RATTINGS rearranges all eight letters, though it is far less familiar than STARTING. The ten one-letter neighbours include STARRING, STARVING, STARLING, and SMARTING; changing one tile can shift the meaning while preserving the other seven. STARTING also rhymes with BEING and GOING.

STARTING's nine-point face value is modest for an eight-letter play, so look first for a premium square or a safe board placement. It appears in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE; check your game's list before challenging a play.