as in first
coming before all others in time or order
the inaugural event in the city's week long festival honoring the sailing ships
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in inauguration
the process or an instance of being formally placed in an office or organization
attended the inaugurals of the city's last three mayors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of inaugural
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The announcement of the inaugural FIPRESCI Documentary Grand Prix was made on the opening night of Millennium Docs Against Gravity in Warsaw, Poland.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Edward Russell, CNN Money, 9 May 2025
Not So Glamorous Speaking of which, inaugurals are theoretically supposed to be glamorous.
—Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inaugural
Adjective
The Valkyries set a WNBA record for average attendance (18,064) and total attendance (397,408) during their inaugural season.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The announcement of the inaugural FIPRESCI Documentary Grand Prix was made on the opening night of Millennium Docs Against Gravity in Warsaw, Poland.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Noun
If fundraising is Global’s plan with its pair of inaugurals, leaving its A380 parked at JFK for four days between flights is an odd choice.
—Edward Russell, CNN Money, 9 May 2025
Not So Glamorous Speaking of which, inaugurals are theoretically supposed to be glamorous.
—Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inaugural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaugural
Adjective
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Romo’s home runs were the first of the season by a Sox catcher.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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And while this is the king's first visit to his son's new home country since the rift, the four-day work trip isn't a personal one.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The theme marks the inauguration of the Institute's first permanent galleries at the museum.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
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Attending the Met feels almost like an inauguration into this space.—
Aariana Rose Philip,
Vogue,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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An initial round of peace talks was held in the capital of Islamabad last month.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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The bill also retains its enforcement division capable of making arrests, despite initial DFL reservations.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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But the filmmaker’s imagination transfigures personal history into something not of this world, wholly original, and uniquely demented.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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In the video, published in 2024 and noted in the lawsuit, James references the original sketch work for Neytiri.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Either would be final favorite as Atletico and Arsenal both seek their maiden crown.—
Greg Cote
May 3,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
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Golden Tempo won his first two races this past winter at the Fair Grounds, a maiden race and the Lecomte Stakes.—
Jay Posner,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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That nickname cemented itself in the 1990s, when the team became one of baseball’s foremost powers, winning the division title year after year, reaching the World Series five times and winning in 1995, and producing five Hall of Fame players.—
Andrew Kirell,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
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His melding of blues, country, and gospel music placed him among the foremost pioneers of rockabilly and ultimately defined the genre of rock and roll.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugural. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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