valedictorian
noun
val·e·dic·to·ri·an
ˌva-lə-ˌdik-ˈtȯr-ē-ən 
: the student usually having the highest rank in a graduating class who delivers the valedictory address at the commencement exercises
Examples of valedictorian in a Sentence
She was the valedictorian of her class in 1985.
Recent Examples on the Web
In a campuswide letter, USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman cited unnamed threats that have poured in shortly after the university publicized the valedictorian’s name and biography this month.
—
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Guzman wrote that discussion about the valedictorian became alarming over the past several days.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
The valedictorian will vow to fix the world, the principal will express faith that everyone in the class is now equipped to do so, and the prominent parent who is the guest speaker will make some insider jokes gleaned from the family’s graduating senior, which no one except the classmates will get.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
The valedictorian of comedy shows that were canceled too soon, Freaks and Geeks only aired one season on NBC, but its impact is still felt decades later.
—Kevin Jacobsen and Hope Lasater, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024
Those banners celebrate the student-athletes who were school valedictorians — four of them from the boys basketball team.
—Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2024
Their sister, who had graduated as valedictorian the year prior and is now attending the California Institute of Technology, tuned in to the celebration via FaceTime to congratulate them.
—Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024
Her next husband, John MacBain, was a rising businessman who had been a class valedictorian at McGill.
—Jacob Bernstein, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024
Ransom graduated as the valedictorian of his class in 1908.
—Carol Roark, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2024
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Guzman wrote that discussion about the valedictorian became alarming over the past several days.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
The valedictorian will vow to fix the world, the principal will express faith that everyone in the class is now equipped to do so, and the prominent parent who is the guest speaker will make some insider jokes gleaned from the family’s graduating senior, which no one except the classmates will get.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
The valedictorian of comedy shows that were canceled too soon, Freaks and Geeks only aired one season on NBC, but its impact is still felt decades later.
—Kevin Jacobsen and Hope Lasater, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024
Those banners celebrate the student-athletes who were school valedictorians — four of them from the boys basketball team.
—Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 22 Jan. 2024
Their sister, who had graduated as valedictorian the year prior and is now attending the California Institute of Technology, tuned in to the celebration via FaceTime to congratulate them.
—Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024
Her next husband, John MacBain, was a rising businessman who had been a class valedictorian at McGill.
—Jacob Bernstein, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024
Ransom graduated as the valedictorian of his class in 1908.
—Carol Roark, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'valedictorian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Valedictorian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/valedictorian. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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