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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Recent Examples of commencement
Mnookin and others eventually negotiated a politically neutral agreement, just in time for commencement day.
—
Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 25 Jan. 2026
By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
If Smith were asked to deliver the commencement address, the message would be straight from the heart.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
That marks a promising commencement for the new comedy drama, which Fox also says has generated about 1 billion minutes viewed across its first two episodes.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 25 Jan. 2026
By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
If Smith were asked to deliver the commencement address, the message would be straight from the heart.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
That marks a promising commencement for the new comedy drama, which Fox also says has generated about 1 billion minutes viewed across its first two episodes.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement
Noun
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Intertextuality is described by Scarlett Barton in perhaps the opposite way, as linked to Roland Barthes’ observation that the author is dead, and that the text is the dissolution of every kind of voice, every beginning and core.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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This approach may appeal to taxpayers who want more personalized guidance at the beginning of the tax relief process before deciding how to proceed.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, Little Miss Curlin lost for the first time in five starts, coming north after cleaning out the competition in her native Louisiana.—
Bob Wisener,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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And 2026 is already off to a bloody start, with 46 killed so far, according to the group.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The convention had outgrown multiple venues from its inception, with attendance and vendors expanding each year.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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So far, Miller and her team have spent $192,000 since the program’s inception, which averages $3,900 per person.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In Alzheimer’s disease, for example, people with more cognitive reserve often delay the onset of symptoms despite the presence of the amyloid and tau, two proteins that are the hallmark signs of the neurological disorder.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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According to reports, O'Hara, 71, died within hours of the onset of symptoms, the document reads.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Vaneast Pictures has acquired international sales rights for Youngblood, a remake of the 1986 MGM classic starring Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze, for an EFM launch.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
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The company recently removed the crew access arm on the tower at LC-39A and is continuing construction at the pad to support its new Starship rocket, which recently cleared an environmental review for future launches from the Space Coast.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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