inaugurate

verb

in·​au·​gu·​rate i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrāt How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
-gə-ˌrāt
inaugurated; inaugurating
Synonyms of inauguratenext

transitive verb

1
: to induct into an office with suitable ceremonies
2
a
: to dedicate ceremoniously : observe formally the beginning of
inaugurate a new school
b
: to bring about the beginning of
inaugurator
i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrā-tər How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
-gə-ˌrā-
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for inaugurate

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 inaugurate in a Sentence

They inaugurated the new headquarters with a brief ceremony. inaugurated the college's athletic program for women
Recent Examples on the Web In January, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a Hindu temple at the site of a 16th century mosque that was demolished by Hindu hardliners in 1992. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024 This flight will be operated seasonally, inaugurating on May 23. —Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2024 This inaugurates a five-year deal to broadcast the long-running awards show on CBS. —Paul Grein, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024 The result was a devastating loss of confidence, creating an unfavorable climate for investment and inaugurating an economic slump from which Italy has never recovered. —Barry Eichengreen, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Beginning June 6, Frontier will inaugurate flying between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to a statement. —Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024 The Kerch Bridge, connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland and inaugurated in 2018, is a major source of pride for Moscow and the focus of a large part of its propaganda. —Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 The first African-American president in U.S. history worked in community organizing and law for decades before being inaugurated in 2009. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 Putin will surely be inaugurated for a fifth term in the spring. —Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inaugurate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare, literally, to practice augury, from in- + augurare to augur; from the rites connected with augury

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inaugurate was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near inaugurate

inaugural

inaugurate

inauguration

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Inaugurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inaugurate. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

inaugurate

verb
in·​au·​gu·​rate in-ˈȯ-g(y)ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
inaugurated; inaugurating
1
: to introduce into office with suitable ceremonies : install
inaugurate a president
2
: to celebrate the opening of
inaugurate a new gym
3
: to bring into being or action
inaugurate a new plan
inaugurator
-ˌrāt-ər How to pronounce inaugurate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on inaugurate

Nglish: Translation of inaugurate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of inaugurate for Arabic Speakers

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