COMMENCEMENT Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

commencement

noun

kə-ˈmen(t)s-mənt

Definition of commencement

as in beginning

the point at which something begins there was a large turnout at the commencement of the conference, but the numbers dwindled as it progressed

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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 commencement Graduates leave Gas South Arena during Emory University's commencement ceremony in 2024. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Graduates at the University of Arizona and University of Central Florida booed mentions of AI during commencement speeches last spring. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026 With the acclaim came the awards, the invitations to give commencement speeches, the honorary degrees, the chance to perform before thousands of fans at big-time sports events. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026 In May, college graduates entering a workforce where the technology is the primary reason for job cuts met commencement speakers hailing the AI revolution—including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the University of Arizona—with boos. — Jason Dressel, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for commencement

Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencement

Noun

Expect some traffic back-ups at the beginning and end of the game as parking lots empty and drivers hit the road in what is a construction zone on highways running through downtown.

— Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Advertisement At the beginning of May, separatists turned in a petition with hundreds of thousands of signatures to push for a vote on leaving Canada, while opponents collected signatures in support of staying.

— Chantelle Lee, Time, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of beginning

Noun

But in those who used it more addictively, social reward activity peaked before puberty’s onset.

— Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
During the experiment, the chip analyzed signals to predict the onset of sawtooth instabilities, which involve rapid changes in plasma conditions.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of onset

Noun

Tesla began taking $50,000 reservations—or $250,000 for one of 1,000 limited Founders Series cars—and targeted a 2020 launch.

— Bilin Lin, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
The successful launches, as reported by the Russian Defense Ministry, demonstrate the operational use of both missile systems during a single training activity.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of launch

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commenced

commencement

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“Commencement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencement. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of commencement

noun

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