ceremony
noun
cer·e·mo·ny
ˈser-ə-ˌmō-nē 
ˈse-rə-
plural ceremonies
1
: a formal act or series of acts prescribed by ritual, protocol, or convention
the marriage ceremony
2
a
: a conventional act of politeness or etiquette
the ceremony of introduction
b
: an action performed only formally with no deep significance
the custom had probably been long a mere ceremony—
C. Thirlwall
C. Thirlwall
c
: a routine action performed with elaborate pomp
Liz Claiborne Inc. chief executive officer William McComb and Liz Claiborne New York creative director Isaac Mizrahi rang the closing bell [of the New York Stock Exchange], a daily ceremony they followed with the first-ever fashion show on the trading floor.—Marc Karimzadeh
Marc Karimzadeh3
a
: prescribed procedures : usages
the ceremony attending an inauguration
b
: observance of an established code of civility or politeness
opened the door without ceremony and strode in
Synonyms
Examples of ceremony in a Sentence
There will be a ceremony honoring the town's veterans next week.
With great ceremony, the children presented each of the visitors with a gift.
He told them abruptly and without ceremony that they would have to leave.
Recent Examples on the Web
By holding on to their pre-Oscar slot, the BAFTAs hope to maintain their position in awards season as the most important international ceremony and as a prime Academy Award predictor.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024
Each Saturday and Sunday after the Circle of Lights opening ceremony, the park will feature holiday programming while allowing vehicular traffic to access the roundabout.
—The Indianapolis Star, 18 Apr. 2024
Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, Rickey Rogers, conveyed a messaged from Salem during a ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, according to Reuters.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Decked out in merchandise from his Free Rein Coffee Company, Hauser was all smiles at the ceremony Wednesday.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
Many of the students saw their high school ceremony severely disrupted, if not canceled outright, because of the pandemic.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
The prize is awarded during the festival’s closing ceremony by the jury.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Here’s what travelers new to the psychedelic space can generally expect from a ceremony or retreat with each compound.
—Michaela Trimble, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2024
Director Leni Riefenstahl filmed the lighting ceremony on July 20, 1936, for a propaganda film called Olympia.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024
Each Saturday and Sunday after the Circle of Lights opening ceremony, the park will feature holiday programming while allowing vehicular traffic to access the roundabout.
—The Indianapolis Star, 18 Apr. 2024
Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, Rickey Rogers, conveyed a messaged from Salem during a ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, according to Reuters.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Decked out in merchandise from his Free Rein Coffee Company, Hauser was all smiles at the ceremony Wednesday.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
Many of the students saw their high school ceremony severely disrupted, if not canceled outright, because of the pandemic.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
The prize is awarded during the festival’s closing ceremony by the jury.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Here’s what travelers new to the psychedelic space can generally expect from a ceremony or retreat with each compound.
—Michaela Trimble, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2024
Director Leni Riefenstahl filmed the lighting ceremony on July 20, 1936, for a propaganda film called Olympia.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ceremony.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to ceremony
Dictionary Entries Near ceremony
Cite this Entry
“Ceremony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceremony. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ceremony
noun
cer·e·mo·ny
ˈser-ə-ˌmō-nē
plural ceremonies
1
: a formal act or series of acts performed in some regular way according to fixed rules
graduation ceremonies
2
: very polite behavior : formality
dined without ceremony
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