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

Plenty of respectable studies and forecasts predict that AI can boost productivity, usher in an age of innovation, and even increase GDP over the long-term—but so far, only a few companies have really profited from the AI boom. —Will Daniel, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2024

But some Southern California treatment providers have viewed using buprenorphine and other such medications as short of sobriety, UC San Diego researchers found — even as California has ushered in requirements for licensed treatment facilities to either offer or help people access such medications. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024

Its construction marked the greatest, post-war change to the Midway-Pacific Highway community and ushered in a new era of commercial and industrial growth, the report states. —Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2024

Lucas Ramirez Mountain View GOP will usher in crushing class warfare The class war is about to get much worse. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

For one, the Simpson case ushered in the era of reality TV. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024

His work may well usher in an unprecedented era of green and clean prosperity, and of course new jobs. —Richard Branson, TIME, 17 Apr. 2024

The month of May ushers in two glorious events: The unofficial start of summer and amazing Memorial Day sales. —Malia Griggs, SELF, 15 Apr. 2024

As a child of parents who were born and raised in Trinidad, the island of this musical genre’s birth, its enchanting rhythms have turned my frowns into smiles, strengthened ties with loved ones, and ushered in some of the most joyous family celebrations. —Melissa Rose Cooper, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1