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 truth, the camera didn’t kill painting so much as force it to evolve, ushering in an era of unprecedented creativity and experimentation. — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 26 June 2026

That is a strong cold front that will usher in cooler temps today and for the rest of the weekend. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026

The 23-year-old’s third studio album, released this month, ushers in perhaps the most exciting phase of her career yet, one where both her style and sound are maturing in tandem. — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026

Members Don’t Git Weary offered a snapshot of the period, reminding Black communities to keep fighting despite unrealized victories, while ushering in newer, hip Black aesthetics like funk beats and electric jazz piano. — Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1