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
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Recent Examples of commencement
The commencement speaker was Blake O’Donnell from Kenilworth.
—
Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Cal State Fullerton commencement ceremonies were held May 18-21 on campus.
—Staff Report, Oc Register, 1 June 2026
Conan O'Brien gave the commencement address and Audra McDonald, who congratulated Brenneman on her commencement, received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
La Jolla High School bid adieu to its latest batch of graduating seniors at its annual commencement ceremony May 28 at Gene Edwards Stadium on campus.
—La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Cal State Fullerton commencement ceremonies were held May 18-21 on campus.
—Staff Report, Oc Register, 1 June 2026
Conan O'Brien gave the commencement address and Audra McDonald, who congratulated Brenneman on her commencement, received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
La Jolla High School bid adieu to its latest batch of graduating seniors at its annual commencement ceremony May 28 at Gene Edwards Stadium on campus.
—La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement
Noun
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Perhaps the most striking part of the visit was seeing the pope appearing the most relaxed and happy since the beginning of his papacy.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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After hearing these songs, the happier ones at the beginning of the album reveal bits of shadow that Rodrigo has built into them to presage what’s to come — to presage what always comes.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Often mixed in to the beat are noisemakers like matracas – wooden objects in the shape of flags that produce a loud clacking sound when spun – and plastic horns called cornetas, which fans use to keep the matches animated from start to finish.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
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During his contract year with the Braves in 2022, Swanson appeared in all 162 games and made 161 starts at shortstop, logging 1,433 innings at a premium defensive position while also producing 25 home runs and 96 RBIs.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
7 June 2026
Noun
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But since its inception, the system has been more restrictive and worked less efficiently than some schools and athletes might have hoped.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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According to Powerball, the jackpot has been hit almost 200 times since the lottery's inception in 1992.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
In the luteal phase, rising body temperature can delay sleep onset because the body needs a core temperature drop to fall asleep effectively.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
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During her senior year, Mitrovich was sent home from college in March 2020, amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
OpenAI rocketed into the mainstream in 2022 following the launch of its chatbot ChatGPT, which now supports more than 1 billion monthly active users.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
13 June 2026
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Regardless, Canadian space boosters say the launch portends more good things to come from a country eager to develop its own orbital lift capability.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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