rite of passage
noun
plural rites of passage
: a ritual, event, or experience that marks or constitutes a major milestone or change in a person's life
Rites of passage celebrate the social movement of individuals into and out of groups or into or out of statuses of critical importance to the individual and to the community. Reproduction, the achievement of manhood and womanhood, marriage, and death are the principal worldwide occasions for rites of passage.—
Marvin Harris
Marvin HarrisFor them the two years of missionary work, with the rigorous bootcamp-style training preceding it, is a rite of passage between graduation and marriage, adolescence and adult life.—Malise Ruthven
Malise RuthvenToday, when each year American society becomes more complex, a veritable tapestry of nationalities, the strongest of our common threads may well be the rites of passage all immigrants face.—Harold Holzer
Harold HolzerThe author, grandson of the poet Allen Tate, dropped out of Sewanee University after going through the by-now familiar 1960's rite of passage of drugs, sex, and antiwar demonstrations …—Caroline Seebohm
compare initiation rite
Caroline SeebohmExamples of rite of passage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The prom is a rite of passage, and so many kids would not have been able to pay the approximately $150 fee.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
The prom is a rite of passage and so many kids would not have been able to pay the approximately $150 fee.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Visiting his collection at the Kreeger home in Miami Beach was a rite of passage for musicians from around the world who traveled to Miami from the early 1970s through the 2000s, his family wrote in his obituary.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Tiny Desk Concerts have become a rite of passage for artists, and Leon Thomas checked off another box in his ascension on Thursday (Feb. 20) as the R&B star made his debut on the NPR office stage.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
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Shania Russell, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2025
The prom is a rite of passage and so many kids would not have been able to pay the approximately $150 fee.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Visiting his collection at the Kreeger home in Miami Beach was a rite of passage for musicians from around the world who traveled to Miami from the early 1970s through the 2000s, his family wrote in his obituary.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Tiny Desk Concerts have become a rite of passage for artists, and Leon Thomas checked off another box in his ascension on Thursday (Feb. 20) as the R&B star made his debut on the NPR office stage.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rite of passage
Cite this Entry
“Rite of passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rite%20of%20passage. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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