as in beginning
the point at which something begins
there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commencement
Nationwide, college students worried about their job prospects booed AI at commencement ceremonies.
—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
28 June 2026
Photos published by The Daily Mail showed Bezos and then-girlfriend Sanchez in attendance at MIT’s commencement ceremony in 2022, although the publication couldn’t confirm Preston’s enrollment at the time.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
21 June 2026
This graduation season, tech leaders who invoke AI optimism in their commencement speeches are getting booed by classes entering the workforce with anxieties about what AI could mean for their job prospects.
—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
The Saturday Night Live alum returned to her alma mater over the weekend to give the commencement speech.
—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
28 June 2026
Photos published by The Daily Mail showed Bezos and then-girlfriend Sanchez in attendance at MIT’s commencement ceremony in 2022, although the publication couldn’t confirm Preston’s enrollment at the time.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
21 June 2026
This graduation season, tech leaders who invoke AI optimism in their commencement speeches are getting booed by classes entering the workforce with anxieties about what AI could mean for their job prospects.
—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
The Saturday Night Live alum returned to her alma mater over the weekend to give the commencement speech.
—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement
Noun
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Prior to the trial beginning, the judge agreed that questions about Brown’s felony conviction for his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna would be barred from testimony.
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June was a frenetic month for the metro Atlanta restaurant scene, driven in part by a flurry of downtown openings timed to the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Noun
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Acuff got off to a much better start after struggling to make shots in his summer league debut on Saturday.
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Belgium added to the lead early in the second half on a major error from goalie Matt Freese, who had given up just one goal in his first three starts.
Noun
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Some team executives and agents have considered the second apron, set at just under $222 million this coming season, as a de facto hard cap since its inception.
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Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests.
Noun
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The three-year war erupted at the onset of the collapse of Yugoslavia, with Bosnia and Herzegovina becoming one of the first countries to declare its independence from the country in 1992.
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The abnormal heat has been driven by the onset of El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm waters along the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean.
Noun
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The approach was already working, even before any formal launch.
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During the demonstration, three trucks were aligned and mechanically connected to form a continuous launch platform.
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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