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
The Osmonds’ success earned them a rarified status in the Church of Latter-day Saints, with church elders crediting them with tens of thousands of baptisms during the Seventies.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Given Coors Field’s history as a torture chamber for pitchers, Glasnow had reason to dread his mile-high baptism – particularly on a 35-degree night.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
Weddings, baptisms, and even funerals registered fewer and fewer Catholic participants.
—Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
The gown was originally made for the baptism of Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Victoria and was crafted to resemble Queen Victoria's own wedding dress.
—Helen Murphy, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for baptism
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Given Coors Field’s history as a torture chamber for pitchers, Glasnow had reason to dread his mile-high baptism – particularly on a 35-degree night.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
Weddings, baptisms, and even funerals registered fewer and fewer Catholic participants.
—Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
The gown was originally made for the baptism of Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Victoria and was crafted to resemble Queen Victoria's own wedding dress.
—Helen Murphy, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for baptism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baptism
Noun
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Insiders, however, say Jill’s beef with Melania dates back to when Melania did not invite the incoming first lady to a White House tea and tour before the 2021 presidential inauguration, breaking a 100-year tradition.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
3 June 2026
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The memorial is made up of a garden with 50 granite steps leading to a massive tablet carved with a portion of his inauguration address from 1961.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Van Dijk and her fellow travelers even brought their own swag to give out and said inaugurals feel like a bonding experience for everyone on the flight.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
-
Ike gave his farewell address three days before John F. Kennedy’s famous inaugural.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some Hijra women undergo a ritual initiation into the community.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
1 June 2026
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The guru-chela relation formalizes their identity in a castelike structure and includes ritual elements such as formal initiation and renaming.—
Charles Preston,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Baptism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baptism. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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