inaugural 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈnȯ-gyə-rəl How to pronounce inaugural (audio)
Definition of inauguralnext
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

inaugural

2 of 2

noun

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

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
Adjective
Waterwell’s inaugural cycle last year received nearly 500 submissions. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026 The inaugural Bugtopia expo drew thousands to the DoubleTree Hotel Sacramento on Saturday, where families browsed live tarantulas, pinned butterflies and workshops on how to pin insects. — Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
In Andrew Jackson's first inaugural, Andrew Jackson calls himself an instrument of the federal Constitution. — NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for inaugural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaugural
  1. first
  2. inauguration
  3. initial
  4. original
  5. maiden
  6. foremost
Adjective
  • The Valkyries took off in the second quarter after another slow start, ending the first half on an 11-0 run on the way to a 44-28 lead at the break.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • View this post on Instagram Charles Esten Charles Esten recalled his first time meeting Panettiere while auditioning for Nashville.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of first
Noun
  • Walesa, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership of the Polish anti-communist resistance as the head of the Solidarity trade union, and was later Polish president, had a front row seat during the inauguration ceremony.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • He was invited to go to the inauguration of Harris and Joe Biden in 2021.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of inauguration
Adjective
  • This follows an initial €46 million bid also being turned down, despite Rodri agreeing to join the Catalans.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • An initial compensation of 1 million baht (about $30,166) has been approved for six of the deceased victims, the statement said.
    — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of initial
Adjective
  • For almost 20 years, Xerjoff has specialized in exotic perfumes, crafting 170 original scents that are available in more than 130 countries around the world.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The original proposal raised questions about how much financial risk Nvidia should assume.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of original
Adjective
  • Another record falls as the world's largest all-electric airplane makes its maiden flight.
    — David Szondy August 13, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The battery-electric propulsion system delivered more than one megawatt of power during the maiden flight.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of maiden
Adjective
  • Jeff Nichols is not only one of cinema’s foremost chroniclers of the American South, but is doing his damnedest to revitalize the film scene in his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Similarly, the world’s foremost perfumeries haven’t collaborated with elite motorcar brands.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of foremost

Browse Nearby Words

inaudibly
inaugural
inaugurals
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Cite this Entry

“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugural. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inaugural

Nglish: Translation of inaugural for Spanish Speakers

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