commemorate

verb

com·mem·o·rate | \ kə-ˈme-mə-ˌrāt

commemorated; commemorating

Definition of commemorate

transitive verb

1 : to call to remembrance St. Andrew is commemorated on November 30.

2 : to mark by some ceremony or observation : observe commemorate an anniversary

3 : to serve as a memorial of a plaque that commemorates the battle

Other Words from commemorate Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about commemorate

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Choose the Right Synonym for commemorate

keep, observe, celebrate, commemorate mean to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed. keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating. kept the Sabbath by refraining from work observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance. not all holidays are observed nationally celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity. traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event. commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

Did You Know?

When you remember something, you are mindful of it. It's appropriate, therefore, that "commemorate" and other related memory-associated words (including "memorable," "memorial," "remember," and "memory" itself) come from the Latin root memor, meaning "mindful." Some distant older relatives are Old English "gemimor" ("well-known"), Greek mermēra ("care"), and Sanskrit "smarati" ("he remembers"). English speakers have been marking the memory of important events with "commemorate" since the late 16th century.

Examples of commemorate in a Sentence

The festival commemorates the town's founding. The plaque commemorates the battle that took place here 200 years ago. Each year on this date we commemorate our ancestors with a special ceremony.

Recent Examples on the Web

Here is just a small sampling of events across the country where mankind's giant leap is being commemorated. — David Morgan, CBS News, "Events and exhibits celebrating Apollo 11 at 50," 14 July 2019 The Panini Instant collection exists to commemorate milestones and achievements in real time so fans don’t have to wait months (or even years!) to capture their favourite moments. — SI.com, "Panini Release Glorious Limited Time Instant Set to Celebrate USWNT Win in Women's World Cup," 11 July 2019 Public Service Recognition Week, which has been commemorated on the first week of May since 1985, often includes military displays, including tanks, on the National Mall. — Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, "What we know about the tanks in Trump's 'Salute to America' on the Fourth of July," 2 July 2019 The event is commemorated in annual LGBT pride marches across the country each year, and some attendees have started expressing that sentiment on T-shirts. — Time, "Was Stonewall a Riot, an Uprising or a Rebellion?," 24 June 2019 Motown Records’ 60th anniversary and ongoing legacy were commemorated by the presentation of the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award to founder Berry Gordy Jr. and current president Ethiopia Habtemariam. — Gail Mitchell, Billboard, "Cardi B Crowned Songwriter of the Year at ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards," 21 June 2019 Juneteenth is often commemorated by barbecues and the traditional drink - Strawberry Soda - and dessert - Strawberry Pie. — Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al.com, "Juneteenth 2019: June 19 holiday celebrates the emancipation of slaves," 19 June 2019 As the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death is commemorated this year, the artist’s notebooks are experiencing a renaissance of their own. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "Why Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance endures, 500 years after his death," 12 June 2019 The Milwaukee Brewers will celebrate their 14th annual Negro Leagues Tribute Game on Friday night against Pittsburgh at Miller Park, in particular commemorating the Milwaukee Bears, which played just one season in 1923. — Jr Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "When we think of Milwaukee Hall of Fame baseball players, we should also remember Pete Hill. Here's the list of others," 7 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commemorate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.