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commemorate

American  

[kuh-mem-uh-rayt] / kəˈmɛm əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object)

• commemorates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• commemorated,
  past participle,  past
• commemorating
  present participle

1. 

   to serve as a memorial or reminder of.

   The monument commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

2. to honor the memory of by some observance.

   to commemorate the dead by a moment of silence; to commemorate Bastille Day.

3. to make honorable mention of.

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commemorate British  

/ kəˈmɛməˌreɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to honour or keep alive the memory of

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• commemorator
  noun
• commemorable
  adjective
• commemorative
  adjective
• uncommemorated
  adjective
• commemoratively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• commemorating
  present
• commemorated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• commemorate
  simple
• commemorates
  simple
• have commemorated
  perfect
• has commemorated
  perfect
• am commemorating
  progressive
• are commemorating
  progressive
• is commemorating
  progressive
• have been commemorating
  perfect progressive
• has been commemorating
  perfect progressive

Past

• commemorated
  simple
• had commemorated
  perfect
• was commemorating
  progressive
• were commemorating
  progressive
• had been commemorating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will commemorate
  simple
• will have commemorated
  perfect
• will be commemorating
  progressive
• will have been commemorating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of commemorate

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin commemorātus “recalled,” past participle of commemorāre “to recall, put on record,” from com- com- + memor “mindful” + -āre, infinitive verb suffix

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Explanation

To commemorate something means to remember something and by doing so to honor it, as in “We would like to commemorate his many years of past service by presenting him with this lovely gold watch.” The word commemorate has a pretty clear echo of memory in it, so it can help to keep it in your mind just by noticing that. You might also notice that you’ve seen the word before, either in late-night infomercials or in various advertisements in magazines, when they talk about commemorative plates, or stamps, or coins: little things that are supposed to honor events or people by recalling them to our collective memory.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commemorate commemorates commemorated commemorating

But enough years passed that the statue could be proposed to commemorate the American centennial.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

As the 60th anniversary of the disaster approaches, Williams will be honoured with a purple plaque, external to commemorate her courage.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

To commemorate the anniversary, such as it is, “My Aim Is True” features a fully remastered edition of the album.

From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2026

When a baby is born, or your daughter gets married, do you read a piece of legislation to commemorate the occasion or do you quote a poem, or dedicate a song?

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

On July 5, 1852, Douglass gave a speech to commemorate Independence Day.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

“No other state in the union commemorates an American visual artist and a single work of art as excessively and uninhibitedly as Iowa,” the author remarks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

They also laid flowers and left candles on the star in the heart of Hollywood that commemorates her decades-long career.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

Juneteenth — a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States — is marked on Friday this year, and there are many closures related to the holiday, including financial markets.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

It is definitely commendable that the Dodgers “museum” commemorates Glenn Burke and Billy Bean.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2026

“This bead commemorates the first Son of the Sea God at this camp, and the quest he undertook into the darkest part of the Underworld to stop a war!”

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

The United States commemorated the 25th anniversary of the devastating September 11, 2001 attacks Friday with a poignant ceremony in New York marked by President Donald Trump's absence and searing criticism from victims' relatives.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Several batters later, however, Yan commemorated his second major league strikeout similarly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Pamela Warner commemorated the anniversary of her son’s death on Tuesday, sharing photos from their past on the Instagram page dedicated to her son’s memory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

He was mortally wounded in Normandy, but his death in a British hospital meant he had not been formally commemorated.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Ian Fleming's flat at 22B Ebury Street in Belgravia is now adorned with a blue plaque commemorating his time there.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

As Stupnikov watched the ceremony commemorating the fallen, his eyes began welling up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Several events commemorating the attack were held across Germany.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Now the arch, initially promoted as a monument commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, has undergone a similar transformation.

From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026

He had badges that said “Remember the Maine” and felt pennants commemorating “Fighting Bob.”

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

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Related Words

• celebrate
• memorialize
• observe
• remember
• salute

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