commencements

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 commencements The students booing artificial intelligence at commencements across the country are not just worried about jobs. — Mark Bardeen Andrejevic, Washington Post, 10 July 2026 Recent Harvard commencements have grown much more political. — Michael Casey, Fortune, 29 May 2026 Originally called MarchingOrder, Tassel had provided services for commencements for around 20 years before adding the AI name offering. — Kendall Staton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2026 By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commencements
  1. beginnings
  2. inceptions
  3. starts
  4. onsets
  5. alphas
  6. launches
Noun
  • Nubar is a Kurdish word symbolizing a fresh start and new beginnings, just like Mustafa's.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • One man who always has a lot to say is Josh Pate, the college football commentator who started from humble beginnings and is now one of the foremost voices in the sport.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginnings
Noun
  • McKenzie went 17 for 28 with 295 yards and two inceptions for the Eagles (3-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of inceptions
Noun
  • The offense has been humming with Williams under center, averaging 31 points per game in his three starts.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s outreach to Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin occurs in fits and starts and lacks a clear set of objectives.
    — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of starts
Noun
  • Experts said the second earthquake began before the first had even ended, with the two onsets separated by just 39 seconds.
    — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 26 June 2026
  • Anxiety disorders can persist into adulthood, particularly those disorders with early onsets and those that are left untreated.
    — Elana Bernstein, The Conversation, 13 May 2022
Definition of onsets
Noun
  • All four films contend with the tech alphas trying to remake our lives in their image.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In the past few years, Underwood has come to realize that a bunch of barking alphas may not, in fact, be the best way to build a successful pack.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of alphas
Noun
  • The United States still conducts more than twice as many launches and has more satellites in orbit than any other country.
    — Kathleen Curlee, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Starlink disruptions Zelenskyy also said that for the second time this week, Ukraine received no advance warning about Russian ballistic missile launches.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of launches

Browse Nearby Words

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commencements
commences
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Cite this Entry

“Commencements.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commencements. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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