graduation

noun

grad·​u·​a·​tion ˌgra-jə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce graduation (audio)
1
: a mark on an instrument or vessel indicating degrees or quantity
also : these marks
2
a
: the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma
3
: arrangement in degrees or ranks

Examples of graduation in a Sentence

He joined the navy after graduation. We had a party to celebrate her graduation from high school. They took lots of pictures at their son's graduation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The council has met regularly since the fall to collect public input and formulate recommendations, but the final proposal for a graduation standard to the governor will be made by the Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025 Macy’s, founded in New York City in 1858, benefits from a huge reservoir of goodwill among its 40 million annual customers, many of whom remember trips to the department store as kids, to get outfits for their graduations or to sit on Santa’s knee. Phil Wahba, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025 Management provided the coaching staff with a series of options at forward, from Europe, via trade, minor league graduations, and a recent free-agent addition in Roslovic, who needs to play a feature role due to the nature of his contract (described here by Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic). Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 Tickets to Euphoria high school graduation are going to sell out fast. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for graduation

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of graduation was in 1594

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Cite this Entry

“Graduation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graduation. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

graduation

noun
grad·​u·​a·​tion ˌgraj-ə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce graduation (audio)
1
: a mark or the marks on an instrument or container indicating degrees or quantity
2
a
: an act or process of graduating
b
: the ceremony marking the completion by a student of a course of study at a school or college : commencement
3
: arrangement in degrees or ranks

More from Merriam-Webster on graduation

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