inaugurate

American  

[in-aw-gyuh-reyt, -guh-] / ɪnˈɔ gyəˌreɪt, -gə- /

verb (used with object)

inaugurated, inaugurating

1. to make a formal beginning of; initiate; commence; begin.

   The end of World War II inaugurated the era of nuclear power.

2. to induct into office with formal ceremonies; install.

3. to introduce into public use by some formal ceremony.

   Airmail service between Washington, D.C., and New York City was inaugurated in 1918.

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inaugurate British  

/ ɪnˈɔːɡjʊˌreɪt, -trɪ, ɪnˈɔːɡjʊrətərɪ /

verb

1. to commence officially or formally; initiate

2. to place in office formally and ceremonially; induct

3. to open ceremonially; dedicate formally

   to inaugurate a factory

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Usage

What does inaugurate mean? Inaugurate most generally means to formally or officially take action to begin something. Close synonyms are the verbs initiate and commence. More specifically, inaugurate means to officially induct someone into a position with a formal ceremony. A close synonym of this sense of the word is install. The noun inauguration refers to the process of inaugurating or a ceremony in which a person or thing is inaugurated. Things involving or related to inauguration can be described with the adjective inaugural. U. S. presidents are inaugurated—officially inducted into office and sworn in—on Inauguration Day, on which they usually give their inaugural address (speech). Inaugurate can also mean to introduce something into use with a formal ceremony. A new factory or public building might be inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony or a dedication ceremony, for example. In every sense of the word, inaugurate implies at least some formality. Its general sense—meaning to initiate or commence—is typically used in the context of events considered important, such as historical eras, as in The rise of the empire inaugurated a period of renewed warfare. Example: In the U. S., presidents are elected in November, but their terms don’t officially begin until they are inaugurated in January.

Other Word Forms

• inauguration noun
• inaugurator noun
• inauguratory adjective
• preinaugurate verb (used with object)
• reinaugurate verb (used with object)
• uninaugurated adjective
• well-inaugurated adjective

Etymology

Origin of inaugurate

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin inaugurātus, past participle of inaugurāre “to consecrate by augury (a person chosen for priesthood or other office),” literally, “to take auguries”); see in- ², augur ¹, -ate ¹

Explanation

To inaugurate means to start something, to give it a kick off. The opening day pep rally inaugurates the high school football season. Inaugurate comes from the Latin word augur, which means taking signs from birds, or telling the future. The Romans would always look for good omens to mark the beginning of something — a war, or a new emperor’s reign — so inaugurate became linked to new beginnings. While inaugurate has long been used in formal contexts, such as the swearing-in ceremony that inaugurates a President's term in office, the word is now also used casually. You might inaugurate your marathon training with a long run.

Example Sentences

To inaugurate his new enterprise, Woods commissioned a portrait.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday afternoon inaugurate the five-day AI Impact Summit, which aims to declare a "shared roadmap for global AI governance and collaboration".

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

He launched his coup on 1 February 2021, the day Aung San Suu Kyi was due to inaugurate her new government.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

One new initiative is a principals’ academy, which will inaugurate a two-year training regimen for aspiring administrators.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2024

The nation’s capital city was getting ready to inaugurate a new president the following month.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• commence
• dedicate
• induct
• initiate
• introduce
• launch
• open
• set up