commencement
noun
com·mence·ment
kə-ˈmen(t)s-mənt 
1
: an act, instance, or time of commencing
They awaited the commencement of the trial.
2
a
: the ceremonies or the day for conferring degrees or diplomas
A Nobel Prize winner will speak at the commencement.
b
: the period of activities at this time
Commencement will kick off with a family reception followed by a banquet.
Synonyms
Examples of commencement in a Sentence
A poet will speak at the commencement.
there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed
Recent Examples on the Web
Last month it was reported that, following a City University of New York (CUNY) law-student commencement speech featuring an anti-Zionist blood-libel rant, future ceremonies will not include student speakers.
—
Hannah E. Meyers, National Review, 20 Nov. 2023
Jack graduated as high school valedictorian in 2011 and delivered the commencement speech.
—Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
In 2017, Ferrell also delivered the commencement speech for USC’s graduating class.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2023
On June 30, the mom of three shared a series of Instagram posts in celebration of her son’s accomplishment, which included a carousel of the commencement booklet, a photo of Langdon on stage and a copy of her son’s diploma.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023
In 1990, during a commencement speech at Oberlin College, Audre Lorde opened with a harrowing reminder that American citizens live in a country full of contradiction and inequity.
—Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 5 Nov. 2023
Later that year, Swift herself showed up at NYU’s commencement ceremony to accept an honorary doctorate degree and deliver a speech to the graduates.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2023
Morehouse College graduates participate in the 2023 commencement ceremony on May 21, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
—Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic, 24 Oct. 2023
Biden should consider delivering a message to the Chinese people akin to the one that his predecessor John F. Kennedy sent to Soviet citizens in a commencement address at American University in 1963.
—Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
See More
Hannah E. Meyers, National Review, 20 Nov. 2023
Jack graduated as high school valedictorian in 2011 and delivered the commencement speech.
—Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
In 2017, Ferrell also delivered the commencement speech for USC’s graduating class.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2023
On June 30, the mom of three shared a series of Instagram posts in celebration of her son’s accomplishment, which included a carousel of the commencement booklet, a photo of Langdon on stage and a copy of her son’s diploma.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023
In 1990, during a commencement speech at Oberlin College, Audre Lorde opened with a harrowing reminder that American citizens live in a country full of contradiction and inequity.
—Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 5 Nov. 2023
Later that year, Swift herself showed up at NYU’s commencement ceremony to accept an honorary doctorate degree and deliver a speech to the graduates.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 1 Nov. 2023
Morehouse College graduates participate in the 2023 commencement ceremony on May 21, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
—Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic, 24 Oct. 2023
Biden should consider delivering a message to the Chinese people akin to the one that his predecessor John F. Kennedy sent to Soviet citizens in a commencement address at American University in 1963.
—Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commencement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near commencement
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commencement. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
commencement
noun
com·mence·ment
kə-ˈmen(t)s-mənt
1
: an act, instance, or time of commencing
2
: the ceremonies or the day for presenting degrees or diplomas to graduates of a school or college
More from Merriam-Webster on commencement
Nglish: Translation of commencement for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of commencement for Arabic Speakers
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