graduate

1 of 3

verb

grad·​u·​ate ˈgra-jə-ˌwāt 

graduated; graduating

intransitive verb

1

: to receive an academic degree or diploma

graduated with honors

2

: to pass from one stage of experience, proficiency, or prestige to a usually higher one

graduated to team leader

3

: to change gradually

transitive verb

1

a

: to grant an academic degree or diploma to

b

: to be graduated from

joined the navy after graduating high school

2

a

: to mark with degrees of measurement

b

: to divide into grades or intervals

3

: to admit to a particular standing or grade

graduator

ˈgra-jə-ˌwā-tər 

noun

Usage of Graduate

In the 19th century the transitive sense (1a) was prescribed; the intransitive

I graduated from college

was condemned. The intransitive prevailed nonetheless, and today it is the sense likely to be prescribed and the newer transitive sense (1b)

she graduated high school

the one condemned. All three are standard. The intransitive is currently the most common, the new transitive the least common.

graduate

2 of 3

noun

grad·​u·​ate ˈgra-jə-wət  -ˌwāt 

ˈgraj-wət

1

: a holder of an academic degree or diploma

a college graduate

2

: a graduated cup, cylinder, or flask

graduate

3 of 3

adjective

grad·​u·​ate ˈgra-jə-wət 

1

: of, relating to, or engaged in studies beyond the first or bachelor's degree

graduate school

a graduate student

2

: holding an academic degree or diploma

Examples of graduate in a Sentence

Verb

He graduated from the university last June.

They both graduated with honors.

She graduated with a degree in history.

He joined the navy after graduating from high school.

a graduating class of 300 students

He joined the navy after graduating high school.

The word has graduated from slang to accepted use.

My nephew has graduated from baby food to solid food.

Adjective

He is taking graduate classes at the university.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The insurance executive attended Kansas State University and graduated with degrees in labor relations and general business administration. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024

Shyamala Harris was born in Chennai, India, and moved to California after graduating from the University of Delhi to pursue a doctorate in nutrition and endocrinology at Berkeley. —Samantha Putterman, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024

Noun

The graduate student didn’t play in the season opener at Texas, only got in the game late against UNC, and played sparingly against CU before breaking out with a 156-yard, two-touchdown performance against UTEP. —Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024

In District 2, Councilmember Terry Taplin was leading his opponent Jenny Guarino, a graduate student with UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and a union leader at the university. —Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024

Adjective

He was required reading for decades of graduate students—and the bolder undergraduates. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 15 Oct. 2024

Five graduate students from the University of Arkansas got $5,000 each, and five undergraduate students, including four from the Fayetteville campus and one from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, got $2,500 grants. —Alex Golden, Axios, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective

Middle English, from Medieval Latin graduatus, past participle of graduare, from Latin gradus step, degree

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

graduate

1 of 3 noun

grad·​u·​ate ˈgraj-(ə-)wət 

-ə-ˌwāt

1

: a holder of an academic degree or diploma

2

: a graduated cup, cylinder, or flask for measuring

graduate

2 of 3 adjective

1

: holding an academic degree or diploma

2

: of or relating to studies beyond the bachelor's degree

graduate

3 of 3 verb

grad·​u·​ate ˈgraj-ə-ˌwāt 

graduated; graduating

1

: to grant or receive an academic degree or diploma

2

: to divide into grades, classes, or intervals

graduator

-ˌwāt-ər 

noun

Medical Definition

graduate

1 of 2 noun

grad·​u·​ate ˈgraj-(ə-)wət  -ə-ˌwāt 

: a graduated cup, cylinder, or flask for measuring

graduate

2 of 2 transitive verb

grad·​u·​ate ˈgraj-ə-ˌwāt 

graduated; graduating

: to mark with degrees of measurement