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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 inaugural
Laura Jackson, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
The retailer has added an inaugural 13 brands in the category to its assortment, roughly half of which are available strictly via Ulta’s new online marketplace, while six others are available online now and will enter more than 600 doors in April.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 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
Though Dario Vitale is no longer at Versace—his departure was announced at the end of last year—his inaugural collection for the house has just arrived in stores, and in technicolor fashion.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
The retailer has added an inaugural 13 brands in the category to its assortment, roughly half of which are available strictly via Ulta’s new online marketplace, while six others are available online now and will enter more than 600 doors in April.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 25 Mar. 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
-
Ace right-hander Jacob deGrom, making his first start of the season after being scratched Saturday with a neck injury, cruised through the first four innings and almost made if out of the fifth, but Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson hit a two-run double to tie the game at 3.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Yet this is part of a trend that’s defined the Knicks’ first season under Brown, one that also predated Brown’s arrival as a through-line over the course of last season’s playoff run.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But by the time of his second inauguration, the Covid debate had moved far from the pandemic terror that marked 2020.—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Trump’s first chief of staff, Reince Priebus, lasted only from the inauguration until the end of July.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The initial rally happened on June 14, a week after the uptick in immigration enforcement operations in LA County.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
At the time of the initial gun battle, the MacEgans were on an afternoon walk through a nearby field.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If the rock star is a romantic individual who expresses some inner truth through original music, the idol is an omnicompetent interpreter of material.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Though the original clip is authentic, showing seven dogs wandering down the side of a highway in northeastern Jilin province, Chinese state media has since debunked the narrative of their escape and journey home.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Firing Room 1 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida has witnessed the liftoff of several historic Apollo missions, including the one in 1969 that put humans on the moon for the first time, and the maiden flight of Space Shuttle Columbia.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Still, the synergy between the two will loom large as the Spurs approach the maiden postseason voyage of the Wembanyama era next month.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Antonio Express-News,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The meeting has been positioned as a critical opportunity for both sides to reset the relationship between the world’s two foremost economic and military powers.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
-
When unfunded entitlements in Social Security, Medicare, and other long-term obligations are factored in, the true fiscal gap approaches $100 trillion — a figure consistent with analysis from Penn Wharton Budget Model director Kent Smetters, one of America’s foremost fiscal economists.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugural. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
