inaugurate

verb

in·​au·​gu·​rate i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrāt How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
-gə-ˌrāt
inaugurated; inaugurating
Synonyms of inauguratenext

transitive verb

1
: to induct into an office with suitable ceremonies
2
a
: to dedicate ceremoniously : observe formally the beginning of
inaugurate a new school
b
: to bring about the beginning of
inaugurator
i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrā-tər How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
-gə-ˌrā-
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for inaugurate

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of inaugurate in a Sentence

They inaugurated the new headquarters with a brief ceremony. inaugurated the college's athletic program for women
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The winner of the 2024 presidential election will be inaugurated at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, during the inauguration ceremony. —Christopher Kuhagen, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024 Continuing with this theme, the event was inaugurated by Amanda Mille and Tilly Harrison, Managing Director of Richard Mille Middle East and Turkey. —Felicity Carter, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 The president-elect is inaugurated as president on Jan. 20. —Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024 Trump's campaign promises: End the war in Ukraine before Inauguration Day Trump has more than once promised to end Russia's war on Ukraine before he's inaugurated. —Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inaugurate 

Word History

Etymology

Latin inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare, literally, to practice augury, from in- + augurare to augur; from the rites connected with augury

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inaugurate was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near inaugurate

inaugural

inaugurate

inauguration

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Inaugurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inaugurate. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

inaugurate

verb
in·​au·​gu·​rate in-ˈȯ-g(y)ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
inaugurated; inaugurating
1
: to introduce into office with suitable ceremonies : install
inaugurate a president
2
: to celebrate the opening of
inaugurate a new gym
3
: to bring into being or action
inaugurate a new plan
inaugurator
-ˌrāt-ər How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on inaugurate

Nglish: Translation of inaugurate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of inaugurate for Arabic Speakers

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