Usage of Graduate
In the second half of the 19th century, many usage writers decided that graduate should only be used with an object; schools could graduate students, and students could be graduated from schools. One such commentator wrote, "students do not graduate; they are graduated." You can safely ignore this rule. "I graduated from college" is now the most common way to phrase the idea. You can also say "I graduated college" or "I was graduated from college." All three are standard, but some people may consider "I was graduated from college" outdated and "I graduated college" incorrect.
Cite this Entry
“Graduate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graduate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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