commence vs begin

commence and begin both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
commence	No	No	Yes	No
begin	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, commence and begin are synonyms defined as:

commence and begin: take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

Other synonyms of commence include get, get down, set about, set out, start, start out.

As verbs, commence and begin are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of commence include lead off, start.

As verbs, begin is a hypernym of commence; that is, begin is a word with a broader meaning than commence:

Other hypernyms of commence include commence, lead off, start.

commence (verb)	begin (verb)
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action	take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
set in motion, cause to start	set in motion, cause to start
get off the ground	begin to speak or say
	begin to speak, understand, read, and write a language
	achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative
	begin an event that is implied and limited by the nature or inherent function of the direct object
	have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense
	be the first item or point, constitute the beginning or start, come first in a series
	have a beginning characterized in some specified way
	have a beginning, of a temporal event