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
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inaugural
Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2025
The award, named for its inaugural 2021 recipient, recognizes Curtis’ humanitarian impact and artistic work.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Board members will serve for four years, but the inaugural board will include some two-year appointments so terms are staggered.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2025
The award, named for its inaugural 2021 recipient, recognizes Curtis’ humanitarian impact and artistic work.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
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
-
My first apartment on 15th and Union Square was a studio in a classy old building with marble pillars, one small room with a bigger bathroom and strangely an even bigger closet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The purchase was the first investment by a Middle Eastern carrier in an East Asian airline.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Hines has been present at her husband's confirmation hearings and his swearing in, and appeared at the president's inauguration in January.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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Following the rush of good feelings around the reunion for the Clinton inauguration, Fleetwood Mac was back at a low point.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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An initial target of £2,000 had doubled by the time Scunthorpe confirmed on Thursday that he had been discharged from hospital.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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The initial childhood of Victor Frankenstein lends itself more to that age of enlightenment.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This translation by Nancy Naomi Carlson preserves the rich musicality of the original French, as well as its frequent use of wordplay and often unusual word choice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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Jim Carrey inducted Soundgarden, bringing out the late Chris Cornell’s eldest daughter, Lily Cornell Silver, to speak about her father and introduce a performance by his former Soundgarden bandmates, including original member Hiro Yamamoto, with Taylor Momsen and Brandi Carlisle singing vocals.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The role would typically involve smashing a bottle of champagne against the bow before sending the vessel out on its maiden voyage.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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The current target for the maiden season is 2029.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Despite the massive buildout, Al Khateeb assured the crowd that protecting the natural environment remains a foremost concern of Saudi Arabia’s government.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
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The unscripted series pairs Snooki with Kevin Whitaker, one of Canada’s foremost psychic mediums.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugural. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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