usher in

verb

ushered in; ushering in; ushers in

transitive verb

1

: to serve to bring into being

a discovery that ushered in a period of change

2

: to mark or observe the beginning of

ushered in the new year with merrymaking

Choose the Right Synonym for usher in

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip

began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing

commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of usher in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By Tuesday afternoon, the snow will end and the sun will come out in the Northeast, ushering in a dry Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day morning. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 24 Dec. 2024

But as the final moments of a year usher in the wee hours of a new one, many take a beat to reflect. —Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024

The record for Gaylord ushered in the official start of winter, which took place Saturday with the winter solstice. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 23 Dec. 2024

The digital era has ushered in transformative changes, particularly in the lives of young people. —Dr. Ritu Goel, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1