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
Synonyms
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
As patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the royal mother-of-three is synonymous with the Wimbledon tennis championships and a staple at the trophy ceremony.
—Harriet Johnston, Glamour, 13 July 2024
Ahead of what is sure to be an inspiring and memorable Paris 2024—both in terms of style and athletic feats—here is a look back at some of the best Olympic uniforms of all time, as seen at the opening ceremonies, on the field, and every Olympic event in between.
—Ivana Rihter, Vogue, 13 July 2024
At a Washington ceremony, Biden accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the Russian tyrant who invaded Zelensky’s country.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2024
According to multiple local reports, a traditional Hindu ceremony will be held on Friday at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, potentially causing road closures and traffic diversions.
—Charmaine Jacob, CNBC, 12 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ceremony 
Harriet Johnston, Glamour, 13 July 2024
Ahead of what is sure to be an inspiring and memorable Paris 2024—both in terms of style and athletic feats—here is a look back at some of the best Olympic uniforms of all time, as seen at the opening ceremonies, on the field, and every Olympic event in between.
—Ivana Rihter, Vogue, 13 July 2024
At a Washington ceremony, Biden accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as the Russian tyrant who invaded Zelensky’s country.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2024
According to multiple local reports, a traditional Hindu ceremony will be held on Friday at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, potentially causing road closures and traffic diversions.
—Charmaine Jacob, CNBC, 12 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ceremony
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ceremony.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ceremony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceremony. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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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