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
The Gills chose this moment for the expansion, after testing the success of the inaugural launch. Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026 Featuring a series of images and collages commissioned for the inaugural edition of Chanel’s Arts & Culture Magazine, the exhibition will run till April 16. Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
In the inaugural Be Our Valentine campaign, HopeWorks aims to build a stronger network for survivors. Dennis Valera, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026 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 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 2 Mar. 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

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