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

The changes come as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has ushered in a more nationalist, right-wing stance. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026

The trio, unsurprisingly, wanted to chat about Obsession and Backrooms, the year’s big hits that look set to usher in a wave of YouTube creatives to mainstream film. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

The organization was ushering in a new era, a global shift unlike any the retail industry has seen before. — HubSpot, 1 Oct. 2026

Unfortunately, an increase in tourism in Turks ushered in a rise in commercialization. — Joey Skladany, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1