as in beginning
the point at which something begins
there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of commencement
Nearly 33,000 people attended Stanford University’s 134th commencement at Stanford Stadium on Sunday.
—
Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
More than 8,600 Anteaters will earn their degrees over the weekend in 12 commencement ceremonies hosted by UC Irvine in its Bren Events Center.
—Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 13 June 2025
Nationalists criticized any possible hint of anti-communist leanings at the school, such as not prominently displaying the Vietnamese flag at commencement.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
As commencement ceremonies celebrate the promise of a new generation of graduates, one question looms: will AI make their education pointless?
—Erik Otárola-Castillo, Time, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 16 June 2025
More than 8,600 Anteaters will earn their degrees over the weekend in 12 commencement ceremonies hosted by UC Irvine in its Bren Events Center.
—Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 13 June 2025
Nationalists criticized any possible hint of anti-communist leanings at the school, such as not prominently displaying the Vietnamese flag at commencement.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
As commencement ceremonies celebrate the promise of a new generation of graduates, one question looms: will AI make their education pointless?
—Erik Otárola-Castillo, Time, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement
Noun
-
Only Part of It Hails From Ingolstadt At the beginning of the 1990s, both Audi and Porsche needed help.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
-
At the beginning of the year, WWD reported that Medik8 was exploring deal options.—
Jennifer Weil,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Despite a tentative start, shale gas is now a growing part of the plan.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Hawkins will begin the transition into the new position in June with a July 1 official start date.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
The international expansion comes after Anti Social Social Club had largely stuck to its direct-to-consumer, drop model since its inception.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
13 June 2025
-
Fellows, who is a Gilroy native, says the event has pumped $12 million back into the community since its inception.—
Chelsee Lowe,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Making moves after learning is just as critical as learning from the onset.—
FNU Anupama,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Alex’s attorney, Jim Griffin, revealed that the grieving husband and father was considered a person of interest from the onset of the authorities’ investigation into the murders.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
SpaceX's record for reusing a Falcon 9 first stage stands at 28 launches.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
13 June 2025
-
Ghani noted how over 70,000 members have been with Prime since its initial launch in 2005.—
Natalie Berg,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share