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
The remembrance ceremony was free with admission to all visitors, according to the museum.
—CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
The president's direct involvement in selecting honorees and moving the medal ceremony to the White House breaks from decades of tradition, where selections were made by a bipartisan committee and medals were presented at a State Department dinner.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
Those honorees were announced by the president of the Kennedy Center, rather than then-President Joe Biden, who attended the ceremony.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 7 Dec. 2025
The ceremony was kept a secret to avoid the press, but Hepburn’s tea-length wedding gown has since became one of the most iconic bridal styles of all time.
—Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ceremony
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CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
The president's direct involvement in selecting honorees and moving the medal ceremony to the White House breaks from decades of tradition, where selections were made by a bipartisan committee and medals were presented at a State Department dinner.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
Those honorees were announced by the president of the Kennedy Center, rather than then-President Joe Biden, who attended the ceremony.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 7 Dec. 2025
The ceremony was kept a secret to avoid the press, but Hepburn’s tea-length wedding gown has since became one of the most iconic bridal styles of all time.
—Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 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 8 Dec. 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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