inaugural

1 of 2

adjective

in·​au·​gu·​ral i-ˈnȯ-gyə-rəl How to pronounce inaugural (audio)
-g(ə-)rəl
Synonyms of inauguralnext
1
: of or relating to an inauguration
an inaugural ball
2
: marking a beginning : first in a projected series
an aircraft's inaugural flight

inaugural

2 of 2

noun

1
: an inaugural address
2

Examples of inaugural in a Sentence

Adjective They attended the inaugural ball. the inaugural event in the city's week long festival honoring the sailing ships Noun attended the inaugurals of the city's last three mayors
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.
Adjective
As mentioned, this is their first appearance in the Champions League; with their previous best performance in a European competition their group-stage appearance in the inaugural UEFA Conference League in 2021-22. Will Jeanes, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026 The baseball team, in conjunction with Live Nation, will host the inaugural Braves Country Fest at their home stadium, Truist Park. Melinda Newman, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
In late November, Unrivaled chief brand officer Kirby Porter joined Jessica Stacey, senior vice president of external communications at Sephora, onstage at WWD’s inaugural The Catalysts summit, discussing the strength of beauty’s alliance with women’s sports, specifically. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 Jan. 2026 In Andrew Jackson's first inaugural, Andrew Jackson calls himself an instrument of the federal Constitution. NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inaugural

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1689, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inaugural was in 1689

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inaugural. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

inaugural

1 of 2 adjective
in·​au·​gu·​ral in-ˈȯ-gyə-rəl How to pronounce inaugural (audio)
-g(ə-)rəl
1
: of or relating to an inauguration
the inaugural address
an inaugural ball
2
: marking a beginning
the inaugural run of a new high-speed train

inaugural

2 of 2 noun
1
: an inaugural address
2

More from Merriam-Webster on inaugural

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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