usher in

verb

ushered in; ushering in; ushers in

transitive verb

1

: to serve to bring into being

a discovery that ushered in a period of change

2

: to mark or observe the beginning of

ushered in the new year with merrymaking

Choose the Right Synonym for usher in

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 usher in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Farley has also said AI could wipe out half of white-collar jobs, instead ushering in mass demand for skilled trades and blue-collar work. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026

Some women athletes command upwards of seven figures and have ushered in a new era of college stars. —Jordan Robinson, SELF, 19 Mar. 2026

For more than a decade, the nationwide ice cream chain has ushered in the arrival of spring with its annual Free Cone Day. —Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 19 Mar. 2026

From an iconic foundation achieving new levels of perfection to the first-ever setting powder–blush hybrid, our winners are ushering in a new generation of cult-favorites. —Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1