initiate a conversation

Meaning

This phrase means to start a discussion or begin talking to someone, often for the first time or in a structured setting. It is more formal than 'start a conversation' and is frequently used in professional, academic, or serious social contexts to describe who took the first step in communicating.

Examples

• As an introvert, she found it difficult to initiate a conversation with strangers at networking events.

  As an introvert, she found it difficult to initiate a conversation with strangers at networking events.

• The mediator encouraged both parties to initiate a conversation to resolve their long-standing dispute.

  The mediator encouraged both parties to initiate a conversation to resolve their long-standing dispute.

• It is often polite to let the host initiate a conversation before diving into business matters.

  It is often polite to let the host initiate a conversation before diving into business matters.

• He decided to initiate a conversation with his manager regarding his career progression.

  He decided to initiate a conversation with his manager regarding his career progression.

• During the seminar, students were expected to initiate a conversation with their peers about the reading material.

  During the seminar, students were expected to initiate a conversation with their peers about the reading material.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He initiated a conversation to me at the party.

  ✓ He initiated a conversation with me at the party.

  Use the preposition 'with' to indicate the person you are starting a conversation with, not 'to'.

• ✗ I want to initiate conversation with my new neighbor.

  ✓ I want to initiate a conversation with my new neighbor.

  'Conversation' is a countable noun in this context and requires the indefinite article 'a'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If you want to make friends, you sometimes have to take the first step and ___.

  💡 Start a discussion.

  Show answer

  initiate a conversation

• She was too shy to ___ with the keynote speaker after the presentation.

  💡 Begin talking to someone.

  Show answer

  initiate a conversation