usher in

verb

ushered in; ushering in; ushers in

transitive verb

1

: to serve to bring into being

a discovery that ushered in a period of change

2

: to mark or observe the beginning of

ushered in the new year with merrymaking

Choose the Right Synonym for usher in

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip

began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing

commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of usher in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The storm-weary central US will finally get a breather starting Sunday as a welcome change in weather pattern ushers in cooler temperatures. —Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026

After the vibrant color palette of the 1980s, the 1990s ushered in a more subdued vibe, with dusty mauves, cool teals, and grayish pastels dominating everything from walls to upholstery. —Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026

This season was expected to usher in a new era for the long-standing dating show, by bringing on a star of a different series (the very popular Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) with the aim of pulling in new viewers. —Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026

The move away from Young, who’s taken the ire of Knicks fans on the road with him to the nation’s capital, ushered in a more free-flowing style of play that runs through Johnson but extends throughout the rest of a deep and versatile Hawks roster. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1