as in beginnings
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 commencements
By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencements
Noun
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With beginnings such as those, the Red Sox needed a miracle to take the second game of the long-weekend quartet.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
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New beginnings surround your home, family, and emotional foundation during the Aries new moon.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Allen, a Miami native and son of Heat assistant coach Malik Allen, averaged 24 minutes per game and made 18 starts as a freshman.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
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Song has five starts at shortstop, three at second, two at third base and two at DH.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the past few years, Underwood has come to realize that a bunch of barking alphas may not, in fact, be the best way to build a successful pack.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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SpaceX began and ended the day with Starlink launches.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
15 Apr. 2026
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The hurdle to that, of course, is rocket launches.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commencements.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencements. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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