as in inauguration
the process or an instance of being formally placed in an office or organization
the baptism of the new members of the college fraternity
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Recent Examples of baptism
Baby actor, no older than 3 months, for baptism scene.
—
Uwa Ede-Osifo, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
The Prince George’s County Department of Corrections held a baptism service for the first time in its history at the jail in Upper Marlboro.
—Jasmine Golden, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2026
The third was as a spiritual offering, and this is significant because people would use cacao in weddings, in baptisms, in other ritual ways.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
The property has known picnics, parties, long conversations and baptisms.
—Abrielle Kate Maddison, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for baptism
Uwa Ede-Osifo, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
The Prince George’s County Department of Corrections held a baptism service for the first time in its history at the jail in Upper Marlboro.
—Jasmine Golden, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2026
The third was as a spiritual offering, and this is significant because people would use cacao in weddings, in baptisms, in other ritual ways.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
The property has known picnics, parties, long conversations and baptisms.
—Abrielle Kate Maddison, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for baptism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baptism
Noun
-
Lincoln’s second inauguration was also on March 4 in 1865.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
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The process would likely take about six months, starting with the inauguration of California’s next governor in early January 2027.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the inaugural Be Our Valentine campaign, HopeWorks aims to build a stronger network for survivors.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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In late November, Unrivaled chief brand officer Kirby Porter joined Jessica Stacey, senior vice president of external communications at Sephora, onstage at WWD’s inaugural The Catalysts summit, discussing the strength of beauty’s alliance with women’s sports, specifically.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Hazing is a ritual that involves risk, pain or harm to gain some form of initiation.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
20 Feb. 2026
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The sky hung low and gray that morning, and the bone-chilling cold and snow felt like an initiation to the Bold North.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Baptism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baptism. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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