usher in

verb

ushered in; ushering in; ushers in

transitive verb

1
: to serve to bring into being
a discovery that ushered in a period of change
2
: to mark or observe the beginning of
ushered in the new year with merrymaking
Choose the Right Synonym for usher in

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 usher in in a Sentence

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.
This might not normally be noteworthy — except that the Sentinel endorsed Lopez in 2020 back when Lopez promised to usher in a new era of transparency and accountability. Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2025 The show is returning to our screens in conjunction with a few different interactive exhibits and shows that will help usher in this new era of the clubhouse. Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 12 June 2025 Others in tech, including Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and startups such as OpenAI, which ushers in the era of generative AI with its late 2022 launch of ChatGPT, are heavily investing in the technology. Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 11 June 2025 The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, is supposed to usher in a new era of men’s soccer in the United States, a chance to prove itself on the world stage against the very best teams on the planet. Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for usher in

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of usher in was circa 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Usher in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/usher%20in. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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