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 of inauguration

Relevance
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.
Expand One week before his inauguration as the new mayor of Arlington Heights, Jim Tinaglia walked through the downtown streets he’s called home for more than 50 years. — Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 The administrative notices were sent out just a couple of weeks after the inauguration and included the team in charge of dispelling disinformation. — Andy Mannix, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 2026 After all, Jonathan, who was probably alive for President Andrew Jackson's second inauguration in 1833, is still thriving. — Kyle Melnick The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 Peñalver’s inauguration Friday will follow a Mass honoring the university’s Catholic and Jesuit traditions. — Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 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

inaugurate
inauguration
Inauguration Day
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inauguration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inauguration. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All