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 of commencement

• beginning
• start
• inception
• onset
• launch

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

Still, none of these details have stopped Shetty’s ascent; just this past year, the podcast host wrapped a North American tour, gave a commencement speech at Princeton University, and brought his tea brand to Whole Foods nationwide. —Alexa Lee, STAT, 27 Jan. 2026

Wallace gave a commencement speech for the ages, but homily was not his métier. —Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

Mnookin and others eventually negotiated a politically neutral agreement, just in time for commencement day. —Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 25 Jan. 2026

By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see commence

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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