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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commencement
The Saturday Night Live alum returned to her alma mater over the weekend to give the commencement speech.
—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
This spring’s commencement season produced a striking pattern.
—
Philomena V. Mantella,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
While some graduates have booed mentions of AI during commencement speeches and companies have increasingly weaved the technology into restructuring plans, Duckett remains optimistic.
—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
Mamdani’s commencement address follows at least two Rikers graduation speeches by former Mayor Eric Adams, who often spoke of his own experience of being arrested as a teen, before becoming a police officer, state lawmaker, borough president, and then mayor of New York City.
—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
This spring’s commencement season produced a striking pattern.
—
Philomena V. Mantella,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
While some graduates have booed mentions of AI during commencement speeches and companies have increasingly weaved the technology into restructuring plans, Duckett remains optimistic.
—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
Mamdani’s commencement address follows at least two Rikers graduation speeches by former Mayor Eric Adams, who often spoke of his own experience of being arrested as a teen, before becoming a police officer, state lawmaker, borough president, and then mayor of New York City.
—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for commencement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement
Noun
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Prior to the trial beginning, the judge agreed that questions about Brown’s felony conviction for his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna would be barred from testimony.
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June was a frenetic month for the metro Atlanta restaurant scene, driven in part by a flurry of downtown openings timed to the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Noun
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In the longest start of his career, Mize threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of 22 batters and struck out five of his final six.
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In his 17th start of the year, Imanaga recorded his first outing without surrendering a walk or home run.
Noun
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Successful deployment demands robust governance from inception, ensuring traceability and mitigating risks.
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Since its inception, competitors have struggled not only to string together all those corners but to maintain speed all the way to the 14,115-foot (4,302 m) summit.
Noun
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The three-year war erupted at the onset of the collapse of Yugoslavia, with Bosnia and Herzegovina becoming one of the first countries to declare its independence from the country in 1992.
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The abnormal heat has been driven by the onset of El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm waters along the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean.
Noun
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The approach was already working, even before any formal launch.
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During the demonstration, three trucks were aligned and mechanically connected to form a continuous launch platform.
Cite this Entry
“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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