graduation

noun

grad·​u·​a·​tion ˌgra-jə-ˈwā-shən 

1

: a mark on an instrument or vessel indicating degrees or quantity

also : these marks

2

a

: the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma

b

: commencement

3

: arrangement in degrees or ranks

Synonyms of graduation

• ladder
• hierarchy
• ranking
• scale
• series

Examples of graduation in a Sentence

He joined the navy after graduation.

We had a party to celebrate her graduation from high school.

They took lots of pictures at their son's graduation.

Recent Examples on the Web

Education should not end when students walk across a graduation stage. — Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026

Directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Ruth Toma, Ghost Song tells the story of Farasha and Faris, two young teens, who meet at a graduation party and fall in love at first sight. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Admissions officials said dropping the exam has not hurt retention or graduation, while faculty point to falling grades in introductory math. — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

Video capturing the college's May 2025 graduation captured the loud cheers of Ania's mother, Diana. — Olivia Young, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for graduation

• ablation
• aeration
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation

Kids Definition

graduation

noun

grad·​u·​a·​tion ˌgraj-ə-ˈwā-shən 

1

: a mark or the marks on an instrument or container indicating degrees or quantity

2

a

: an act or process of graduating

b

: the ceremony marking the completion by a student of a course of study at a school or college : commencement

3

: arrangement in degrees or ranks