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

In addition to ushering in life-altering changes, this super-potent full moon will bring light to our deepest desires and likely catch us off guard in the process. —Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2024

Detroit has its first composer laureate, months after ushering in the city's first poet laureate. —Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 6 Sep. 2024

Especially suede cowboy boots, once again ushering in the Western trend into autumn. —Esther Newman, refinery29.com, 4 Sep. 2024

More often than not, fall ushers in a gust of crisp, autumnal air, leaves that become a vibrant palette basically overnight; and whiffs of pumpkin-spiced everything. —Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1