ceremony
noun
cer·e·mo·ny
ˈser-ə-ˌmō-nē 
ˈse-rə-
plural ceremonies
1
: a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual, protocol, or convention
the marriage ceremony
2
a
: a conventional act of politeness or etiquette
the ceremony of introduction
b
: an action performed only formally with no deep significance
the custom had probably been long a mere ceremony—
C. Thirlwall
C. Thirlwall
c
: a routine action performed with elaborate pomp
Liz Claiborne Inc. chief executive officer William McComb and Liz Claiborne New York creative director Isaac Mizrahi rang the closing bell [of the New York Stock Exchange], a daily ceremony they followed with the first-ever fashion show on the trading floor.—Marc Karimzadeh
Marc Karimzadeh3
a
: prescribed procedures : usages
the ceremony attending an inauguration
b
: observance of an established code of civility or politeness
opened the door without ceremony and strode in
Examples of ceremony in a Sentence
There will be a ceremony honoring the town's veterans next week.
With great ceremony, the children presented each of the visitors with a gift.
He told them abruptly and without ceremony that they would have to leave.
Recent Examples on the Web
The ceremony is free and open to the public, with registration encouraged at usps.com/usps250years.
—Kristen Waggoner, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Carnival rides and parking lots open at 2 p.m. Food vendors and Riverwalk Grill open at 4 p.m., and a patriotic ceremony with military Color Guard is at 6 p.m., the band Full Strength performs from 6:30 – 9 p.m.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
The 2025 ceremony awarded work published during the 2024 calendar year.
—William Earl, Variety, 23 June 2025
Aztec choreography took over the massive stages for a moving ceremony honoring the Nahautl inspiration behind 111xpantia‘s manifestation concept.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ceremony
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Kristen Waggoner, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Carnival rides and parking lots open at 2 p.m. Food vendors and Riverwalk Grill open at 4 p.m., and a patriotic ceremony with military Color Guard is at 6 p.m., the band Full Strength performs from 6:30 – 9 p.m.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
The 2025 ceremony awarded work published during the 2024 calendar year.
—William Earl, Variety, 23 June 2025
Aztec choreography took over the massive stages for a moving ceremony honoring the Nahautl inspiration behind 111xpantia‘s manifestation concept.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ceremony
Cite this Entry
“Ceremony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceremony. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ceremony
noun
cer·e·mo·ny
ˈser-ə-ˌmō-nē
plural ceremonies
1
: a formal act or series of acts performed in some regular way according to fixed rules
graduation ceremonies
2
: very polite behavior : formality
dined without ceremony
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