in·au·gu·ral
i-ˈnȯ-gyə-rəl 
-g(ə-)rəl
1
: of or relating to an inauguration
2
: marking a beginning : first in a projected series
1
: an inaugural address
2
Examples of inaugural in a Sentence
Adjective
They attended the inaugural ball.
the inaugural event in the city's week long festival honoring the sailing ships
Noun
attended the inaugurals of the city's last three mayors
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Russo, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
He is set to run in the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet in Jamaica on Friday – a new league spearheaded by American legend Michael Johnson which features some of the world’s best sprint and endurance athletes.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Similar to previous inaugurals, Nielsen’s audience numbers do not include streaming which continues to grow as a video source.
—Brad Adgate, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inaugural
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Adjective
Michael is a five-time Minnesota Sportswriter of the Year and in 2017 was named the inaugural Red Fisher Award winner as best beat writer in the NHL.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
He is set to run in the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet in Jamaica on Friday – a new league spearheaded by American legend Michael Johnson which features some of the world’s best sprint and endurance athletes.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
Presidential inaugurations that usher a new party into power almost always feel like the dawn of an era — Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama — but the second inaugural of Donald J. Trump felt fundamentally different.
—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Similar to previous inaugurals, Nielsen’s audience numbers do not include streaming which continues to grow as a video source.
—Brad Adgate, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inaugural
Cite this Entry
“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inaugural. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inaugural
1 of 2 adjective
in·au·gu·ral
in-ˈȯ-gyə-rəl
-g(ə-)rəl
1
: of or relating to an inauguration
the inaugural address
an inaugural ball
2
: marking a beginning
the inaugural run of a new high-speed train
inaugural
2 of 2 noun1
: an inaugural address
2
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