Synonym Chooser

How is the word inaugurate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of inaugurate are begin, commence, initiate, start, and usher in. While all these words mean "to take the first step in a course, process, or operation," inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

How does the word begin relate to other synonyms for inaugurate?

Begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable, with begin, opposed to end, being the most general.

begin a trip
began dancing

How is commence related to other words for inaugurate?

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

commence firing
commenced a conversation

When is it sensible to use initiate instead of inaugurate?

The words initiate and inaugurate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

Where would start be a reasonable alternative to inaugurate?

In some situations, the words start and inaugurate are roughly equivalent. However, start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

How do usher in and inaugurate relate to one another?

Usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inaugurate In its 2024 edition, the festival inaugurated the Country of Honor, with Palestine holding that distinction and programming featuring a spate of Palestinian films. Essie Assibu, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025 That May, days after Vladimir Putin was inaugurated to his first term as Russia’s President, a high-ranking Kremlin official conveyed a list of demands to NTV. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025 Only a few kilometers away, a new mega port — a joint project with China — has just been inaugurated. Sabrina Weiss, The Dial, 23 Sep. 2025 In October, Gulf Air inaugurated a direct flight to the country, departing three times weekly from New York’s JFK. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inaugurate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaugurate
Verb
  • Politically, the affluence manifested in Long Island establishing itself as a bastion of the Republican Party, showing strong support for Hoover in his doomed Presidential campaign against Roosevelt.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Mediators, including Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, are continuing their efforts to facilitate dialogue and to broker progress on key measures such as reopening border crossings, delivering aid, and establishing future governance structures for Gaza.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The four original Kiss members were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2025
  • True greatness will get most NFL players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Wells Fargo initiates Exxon Mobil at overweight Wells sees several positive catalysts for the country’s largest fossil fuel company.
    Michael Bloom, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Ben's Original is initiating a voluntary recall in the United States for some of its heat-and-eat rice products, because some of the packages may be contaminated with small stones, which could cause injury.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
  • If a team switches frequently in and out of tempo plays, scouts can bring that back to coaches, who will install similar periods in practice.
    Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Days after Sora 2 launched, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube filled with tutorials on how to scrub out its tiny watermark — the only clue AI made a clip.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
  • When Allswell first launched, it was positioned as a stylish, affordable alternative to big-name mattress brands.
    Rebecca Grambone, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • So in 2017, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases formally recommended parents introduce children under the age of 3 to allergens like nuts.
    Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Aquatic nuisance species are non-native plants and animals that can cause ecological or economic harm, or even harm to human health if introduced to a body of water.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • European founders are already building solutions, with companies like SAEKI in Switzerland pioneering on-demand additive manufacturing, or Germany’s RobCo providing modular robotic systems.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Antioch Police Department helped pioneer the effort in 2015, shortly before multiple scandals ripped through the agency amid claims of widespread civil rights abuses, violent arrest tactics and racist policing.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The bad news is that there are already murmurs in Brussels about piecemeal, incremental measures – harmonizing certain national laws, creating yet another framework for EU member states to fuss over and interpret.
    Jan Hammer, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The series is created, written, directed and executive produced by Levinson and produced in partnership with A24.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inaugurate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugurate. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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