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

Thursday’s dedication gathering came just days after Jaws — ushering in the era of the summer blockbuster — celebrated its 50th anniversary. —Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2025

While Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola are both titans of filmmaking, especially helping to start the modern Golden Age of Hollywood, Sofia Coppola ushered in the 21st century of women auteurs. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 26 June 2025

People are ready to turn the page and usher in a new era of leadership. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025

The Reagan presidency ushered in the doctrine of supply-side economics, which rests on the premise that tax cuts are key to stimulating economic growth. —Drew Kurlowski, The Conversation, 25 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1