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 media industry broadly expects deregulation under the Trump administration, particularly in the broadcast space, which could usher in a wave mergers and acquisitions. —Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025

Our President will rescue our nation's capital from collapse and usher in a bright and brilliant future. —Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025

Honoring Bertha’s determination to push boundaries and usher in new social norms, her ball was filled with gowns that represented the newest fashions arriving in America at that time. —Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2025

As the full moon sank below the horizon, silhouetting palm trees at Jetty Park, the light of dawn ushered in the arrival of the world’s largest cruise ship to its new homeport on Florida’s Space Coast. —Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1