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
… the opening bell [of the New York Stock Exchange] is still an important daily ceremony, attracting corporate chiefs and celebrities.—John Carney
John Carney3
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
Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox.
—Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
At a ceremony on Thursday, historians with Rivers of Steel, a non-profit organization that preserves the region's industrial history, publicly answered for the first time who the Carrie Blast Furnaces were named after.
—Christopher Derose, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
As part of the news, NATAS unveiled a new design scheme for all of its Emmy ceremonies, including the Daytime event.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
The show made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ceremony
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Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
At a ceremony on Thursday, historians with Rivers of Steel, a non-profit organization that preserves the region's industrial history, publicly answered for the first time who the Carrie Blast Furnaces were named after.
—Christopher Derose, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
As part of the news, NATAS unveiled a new design scheme for all of its Emmy ceremonies, including the Daytime event.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
The show made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ceremony
Cite this Entry
“Ceremony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceremony. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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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