inauguration

noun

in·​au·​gu·​ra·​tion i-ˌnȯ-gyə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce inauguration (audio)
-gə-
Synonyms of inaugurationnext
: an act of inaugurating
especially : a ceremonial induction into office

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of inauguration in a Sentence

the pomp and circumstance of a presidential inauguration
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The crowd wasn't a papal audience or political protest, but rather an inauguration of sorts for a new national icon. — Olivia Hicks, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025 Since his inauguration, Trump has sought to reform the department, demoting attorneys, for instance, who prosecuted him and assisting people charged with Jan. 6 related offenses. — Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025 Since going public with their relationship, the pair have been busy attending President Donald Trump's inauguration celebrations and traveling across Europe and Mexico around her birthday over the summer. — Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025 Tesla shares are down 30 percent in the past month, 42 percent since Trump's inauguration, and 35 percent in the year to date. — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inauguration

Word History

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inauguration was in 1569

Rhymes for inauguration

See All Rhymes for inauguration

Browse Nearby Words

inauguration
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inauguration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inauguration. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

inauguration

noun
in·​au·​gu·​ra·​tion in-ˌȯ-g(y)ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce inauguration (audio)
: an act or ceremony of inaugurating

More from Merriam-Webster on inauguration

Nglish: Translation of inauguration for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All