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

Expert in identity management, AI and open-source solutions. 2025 has ushered in a great deal of political upheaval and technological changes, with more coming at us almost daily. —Kevin Korte, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025

The nonstop waves of heat usher in short shorts and bikini tops, in an attempt to regulate body temperature. —Taylor Crumpton, Time, 22 May 2025

As president of the Fondation Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, the 67-year-old has also ushered in big changes at the garden bought by Saint Laurent and Bergé in 1980. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 22 May 2025

And he’s been attempting to usher in a new style of leadership by committee in Denver’s huddles and film sessions throughout the last month, willingly ceding the floor at times to encourage players to speak up more. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1