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
Trump was not the only person present at the executive order signing ceremony to have personal testimony regarding drug and alcohol addiction.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2026
Early on, medal ceremonies will begin to appear in alpine and endurance events like the Cross-Country Skiing (Skiathlon) finals with the women’s Skiathlon medal event scheduled for February 7, followed by the men’s medal race on February 8.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Four days after the killing of Alex Pretti, an Indigenous prayer ceremony is being held in his honor.
—Joe Van Ryn, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
For the ceremony, the pair both wore custom Off-White looks by the late Abloh and his team.
—Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ceremony
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Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 30 Jan. 2026
Early on, medal ceremonies will begin to appear in alpine and endurance events like the Cross-Country Skiing (Skiathlon) finals with the women’s Skiathlon medal event scheduled for February 7, followed by the men’s medal race on February 8.
—Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Four days after the killing of Alex Pretti, an Indigenous prayer ceremony is being held in his honor.
—Joe Van Ryn, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
For the ceremony, the pair both wore custom Off-White looks by the late Abloh and his team.
—Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 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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