Definition of inauguratenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word inaugurate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of inaugurate are begin, commence, initiate, start, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

How does the word begin relate to other synonyms for inaugurate?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How is commence related to other words for inaugurate?

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

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When is it sensible to use initiate instead of inaugurate?

The words initiate and inaugurate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

Where would start be a reasonable alternative to inaugurate?

In some situations, the words start and inaugurate are roughly equivalent. However, start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How do usher in and inaugurate relate to one another?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inaugurate New this year is AMA Venezia, the brainchild of collector Laurent Asscher, who meticulously restored a former soap factory in Cannaregio to inaugurate his own space. Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 8 May 2026 In September, Pope Leo formally inaugurated the Borgo Laudato Si’, a 135-acre experiment in sustainable farming and environmental education on the grounds of the papal summer estate. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026 Vladimir Putin is inaugurated as Russia’s president. USA Today, 6 May 2026 Born in 1889, the year the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated. Literary Hub, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for inaugurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaugurate
Verb
  • Dylan's older brother, Ashten, has since established a GoFundMe to help support Dylan and his family pay their rent during this challenging time, noting that Dylan has lost out on work and income during his recovery.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
  • The board’s five-part plan establishes a timeline to follow and directs district staff to execute some steps, including naming the new chief at the start of the new school year and the price tag of the search.
    Natalie La Roche Pietri, Miami Herald, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Marking the 20th anniversary of the group, the brothers recently got their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and they were formally inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 19 May 2026
  • The public voted her into the Advertising Week Walk of Fame on New York’s Madison Avenue, making the Morton Salt Girl the first female icon to be inducted.
    Lisa Gutierrez May 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • The settlement agreement that initiated the fund gave the acting attorney general 30 days to create the entity and appoint five commissioners to run it.
    Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 20 May 2026
  • The security footage showed Abdullah reaching for his radio to initiate lockdown protocols while still engaged in a gunbattle, Wahl said.
    Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • The comments came two weeks after the House rejected DeSantis’ push to pass bills to expand vaccine exemptions for children entering public schools and to install consumer-friendly regulations on artificial intelligence products and companies.
    Gray Rohrer, Sun Sentinel, 15 May 2026
  • Designers were clever enough to install a series of waterfalls that spill into the pool to cover up traffic noise from the pool’s location.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • The restaurant will be launching lunch eventually—with, naturally, Sunday roasts, a pub trapping as proper and totemic as malt vinegar and newsprint, or pastry with a piscine head sticking out.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • But the drama over the CoC comes as City Hall continues beefing up its work to combat homelessness, including with the Housing Gateway Program, which launched earlier this year.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • The legislation, one of the priority bills Democrats introduced with hopes to potentially fold into the budget, ultimately did not advance.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
  • The opening episode of the AMC dramedy introduces an algorithm that’s a gift to stalkers everywhere.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • The late Daniel Kahneman, whose pioneering work in behavioral economics reshaped finance, showed how confirmation bias leads us away from good judgment, both in ordinary life and in investment decisions.
    Thierry Brunel, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Australia will receive a $5 million federal grant to launch a pioneering research team for children’s health.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Wilson worked alongside stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn and the Oscar de la Renta team to create a custom gown featuring tiny Japanese cherry blossoms around the neckline and scattered throughout the design, according to Vogue.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
  • On the planet, the Mandalorians encounter Gideon, who is revealed to have created clones of himself.
    Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 16 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inaugurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugurate. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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