commemorate
verb
Did you know?
When you remember something, you are mindful of it. And you are especially mindful when you commemorate something, formalizing your remembrance by doing something special, such as attending a parade or taking part in a ceremony. 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.” English speakers have been marking the memory of important events with commemorate since the late 16th century.
Examples of commemorate in a Sentence
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
That same night, the chamber hosted a reunion for Rainbow PUSH alumni to commemorate Jackson and his years of activism.
—Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
In fact, the site takes its name from the Benedictine monastery Battle Abbey, founded by William the Conqueror to commemorate the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
—Jen Murphy, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026
Flowers placed by community members throughout the week wrapped around the front entrance, along with candles, photos and handmade markers commemorating the three people who died following the attack.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commemorate
Cite this Entry
“Commemorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commemorate. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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commemorate
verb
