commencement
noun
com·mence·ment
kə-ˈmen(t)s-mənt 
1
: an act, instance, or time of commencing
They awaited the commencement of the trial.
2
a
: the ceremonies or the day for conferring degrees or diplomas
A Nobel Prize winner will speak at the commencement.
b
: the period of activities at this time
Commencement will kick off with a family reception followed by a banquet.
Synonyms
Examples of commencement in a Sentence
A poet will speak at the commencement.
there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed
Recent Examples on the Web
The official commencement of negotiations helps satisfy the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s mandate that Del Mar have a plan to provide homes for lower-income residents.
—
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024
The new year marks the commencement of insightful dialogues surrounding emerging trends, innovative technologies, progressive business strategies and engaging interviews with esteemed industry leaders.
—Timothy Britt, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Ash Wednesday encompasses the commencement of Lent, the symbolic acknowledgment of human mortality, a call to repentance and the spiritual preparation for the celebration of Easter.
—Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024
Who can forget the commencement of the bird-mating season in mid-February, first written about by four English authors?
—Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024
Last year, Mindy Kaling was honored with the inaugural award in an event that marked the commencement of SDA’s Multihyphenate Masterclass Series.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024
Nevertheless, this marked the commencement of an exciting journey.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
On May 13, 2009, Obama gave the commencement speech for Arizona State University's graduating class.
—The Arizona Republic, 12 Feb. 2024
Bellarmine University will have its commencement ceremony May 11 in the Freedom Hall of the Kentucky Exposition Center.
—The Courier-Journal, 3 Jan. 2024
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024
The new year marks the commencement of insightful dialogues surrounding emerging trends, innovative technologies, progressive business strategies and engaging interviews with esteemed industry leaders.
—Timothy Britt, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Ash Wednesday encompasses the commencement of Lent, the symbolic acknowledgment of human mortality, a call to repentance and the spiritual preparation for the celebration of Easter.
—Maeghan Dolph, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024
Who can forget the commencement of the bird-mating season in mid-February, first written about by four English authors?
—Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024
Last year, Mindy Kaling was honored with the inaugural award in an event that marked the commencement of SDA’s Multihyphenate Masterclass Series.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024
Nevertheless, this marked the commencement of an exciting journey.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024
On May 13, 2009, Obama gave the commencement speech for Arizona State University's graduating class.
—The Arizona Republic, 12 Feb. 2024
Bellarmine University will have its commencement ceremony May 11 in the Freedom Hall of the Kentucky Exposition Center.
—The Courier-Journal, 3 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commencement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near commencement
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commencement. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commencement
noun
com·mence·ment
kə-ˈmen(t)s-mənt
1
: an act, instance, or time of commencing
2
: the ceremonies or the day for presenting degrees or diplomas to graduates of a school or college
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