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

Dry conditions and crisp temperatures are expected this weekend throughout the state, ushering in ideal conditions for fall foliage. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025

Ben Armstrong, co-owner of the massive fright-factory on a sprawling 10-acre property just east of Atlanta that ushers in more than a thousand people each night, describes the experience as more of an action movie than a horror one. —Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

The concerns center on the potential enforcement of the state-wide ban on camping in public spaces ushered in by the Safer Kentucky Act, our Killian Baarlaer reports. —Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Oct. 2025

The sixties ushered in a big boom for pancake houses, and this establishment got in on the front end, opening its doors in 1962. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1