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

At Middle Tennessee State University, Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta was booed while talking about AI at the commencement ceremony for the school's college of media and entertainment, which is named after him, reported the Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 21 June 2026

While Bezos never publicly confirmed which university his oldest child attended, Preston’s name appears in the program for MIT’s 2022 commencement ceremony. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 21 June 2026

This graduation season, tech leaders who invoke AI optimism in their commencement speeches are getting booed by classes entering the workforce with anxieties about what AI could mean for their job prospects. — Emma Bowman, NPR, 19 June 2026

Ahead of the tournament season’s commencement, Clase Azul México staged its own form of spiritual fan zone at The Moore in Miami’s Design District. — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 18 June 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