Synonym Chooser

How is the word inaugurate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of inaugurate are begin, commence, initiate, start, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

How does the word begin relate to other synonyms for inaugurate?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How is commence related to other words for inaugurate?

Commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When is it sensible to use initiate instead of inaugurate?

The words initiate and inaugurate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

Where would start be a reasonable alternative to inaugurate?

In some situations, the words start and inaugurate are roughly equivalent. However, start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How do usher in and inaugurate relate to one another?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

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 inaugurate Trump is the oldest person to be inaugurated as president of the United States. Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025 Trump, 79, is the oldest person to be inaugurated as president, and Vance, 41, is one of the youngest to serve as second in command. Francesca Chambers, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2025 China inaugurated the world’s first ultra zero-carbon building on Sunday, marking a landmark achievement in the nation’s pursuit of sustainable urban development. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Aug. 2025 In theory, this transition inaugurates a chapter of enfranchisement, but in the next scene the Senegalese businessmen are in suits, and the white men return with briefcases full of money as bribes. Lovia Gyarkye, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inaugurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaugurate
Verb
  • The roots of my family tree are firmly established in the soil of Great Britain.
    Elizabeth Bass Parman, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Period-appropriate musical elements will help establish the nostalgic atmosphere.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Martin, now 57, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
  • And in October, the former offensive lineman will be inducted into the Bengals Ring of Honor with teammate Lemar Parrish.
    Beryl Love, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Trump has previously ordered certain drug cartels — including five Mexican syndicates — to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, and last month signed a Pentagon directive initiating the use of military force against drug trafficking groups.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • My dad, who was on AT&T, initiated the same test, and the Skylo phone still received one SMS message out of order as well.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.
    Staff, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • In early 2023, the governor replaced much of the school’s board of trustees with political allies and helped install Corcoran, a former House speaker and education commissioner, as president.
    Alice Herman, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The new 12-night journey will launch in the summer of 2027 aboard the company's ice-breaking Le Commandant Charcot ship and is purposely designed to meet demand for a shorter cruise that still celebrates polar exploration, Ponant shared with Travel + Leisure.
    Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The product launches demonstrate how Europe’s legacy manufacturers are taking the fight to their Chinese rivals, in a bid to both retain market share in the European Union and offset declining sales in China, the world’s largest car market.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Russia's federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsiya, also introduced temporary flight restrictions at the airport in the early hours of Tuesday.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Getty Images In the 1983 movie WarGames, which starred Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, much of the American public was introduced to the various levels of Defcon.
    Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Hence, clubs are turning to the player-trading model long pioneered, and more recently supercharged, by Chelsea.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • When tragedy strikes close to home, Six and Green are left with not only the tremendous pressure of their pioneering careers and the game itself, but also with the weight and contradiction of what is expected of them.
    Eliana Ramage September 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • When interviewed by officers, Burns admitted to creating multiple social media accounts to distribute and receive child pornography, including files of prepubescent children, the release states.
    NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inaugurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugurate. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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