commencement

noun

kə-ˈmen(t)s-mənt How to pronounce commencement (audio)
Definition of commencementnext
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

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 Nationwide, college students worried about their job prospects booed AI at commencement ceremonies. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 28 June 2026 Photos published by The Daily Mail showed Bezos and then-girlfriend Sanchez in attendance at MIT’s commencement ceremony in 2022, although the publication couldn’t confirm Preston’s enrollment at the time. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 21 June 2026 This graduation season, tech leaders who invoke AI optimism in their commencement speeches are getting booed by classes entering the workforce with anxieties about what AI could mean for their job prospects. — Emma Bowman, NPR, 19 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for commencement
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement
  1. beginning
  2. start
  3. inception
  4. onset
  5. launch
Noun
  • Michelle Branch is going back to her electric blue beginnings.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
  • So the players have to lose every contest once to get to Room 8 and discover how to claim ultimate victory, then win every contest to get back to the beginning and correctly count some rice.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of beginning
Noun
  • Despite a nerve-wracking 1-0 start (before Bellingham knocked in a deuce), Jagger was seen looking grim and pacing around the VIP box.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • Mike Hughes didn’t need an OTA practice, let alone a season with 17 starts and the second-most interceptions by a rookie in franchise history, to know the Falcons landed an impact player in safety Xavier Watts last summer.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of start
Noun
  • Some team executives and agents have considered the second apron, set at just under $222 million this coming season, as a de facto hard cap since its inception.
    — Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026
Definition of inception
Noun
  • At this pace, yearly domestic grosses are expected to hit $10 billion for the first time since the onset of the pandemic.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but various treatment options, such as prescription medications, may be available to patients to maintain brain health, delay symptom onset or manage symptoms, the agency says.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of onset
Noun
  • Submissions for the inaugural DARCYS opened June 16 and closed July 14, and the ceremony’s afterparty will double as the launch of the HRTS Access Leadership Award, with a nomination process to be announced separately.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched its Vikram-1 rocket to low Earth orbit (LEO) early Saturday morning (July 18), making India just the third country with a private orbital launch capability.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of launch

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commenced
commencement
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Cite this Entry

“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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