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

Oddly, the fire ushered in a new era for Dan Tana’s — a rebirth, even. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Their son, Brock, now serves as the development company president and has ushered in more than 3,000 homes. — Olivia Young, CBS News, 13 July 2026

Let’s usher in a new era of mass transit that serves as many people as possible safely, efficiently, and on time. — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026

The result, then, could usher in a new era for the timeless character, whether that’s an update to his suits or a reevaluation of his relationship with women. — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1