commemorate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to serve as a memorial or reminder of.
The monument commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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to honor the memory of by some observance.
to commemorate the dead by a moment of silence; to commemorate Bastille Day.
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to make honorable mention of.
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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commemoratornoun
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commemorableadjective
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commemorativeadjective
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uncommemoratedadjective
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commemorativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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commemoratesimple
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commemoratessimple
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have commemoratedperfect
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has commemoratedperfect
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am commemoratingprogressive
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are commemoratingprogressive
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is commemoratingprogressive
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have been commemoratingperfect progressive
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has been commemoratingperfect progressive
Past
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commemoratedsimple
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had commemoratedperfect
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was commemoratingprogressive
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were commemoratingprogressive
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had been commemoratingperfect progressive
Future
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing commemorate
Memorial Day Words
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 5
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Academy Awards, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Unlike virtual dark tourism that allows for “armchair travel” to real-world dark heritage sites, there is no physical location anchoring the Backrooms nor any historical tragedy to commemorate.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Crew members from "Star Trek" will also land in San Diego on Saturday, to commemorate six decades of exploring the far reaches of the universe.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Since then, Supply Co. has released tees, caps and random items such as rice cookers and folding chairs to commemorate company off sites and research and product milestones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The monument, showing the Duke on his faithful horse Copenhagen, was designed by the Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844 to commemorate his victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
He never had a headstone to commemorate his life.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Boeing will mark another step in a marathon comeback Friday when it commemorates expanded production of the 737 MAX, now an aircraft in heavy demand after earlier disasters tarnished the company's reputation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
Juneteenth — a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States — is being marked on Friday, and there are many closures related to the holiday, including financial markets.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026
It is definitely commendable that the Dodgers “museum” commemorates Glenn Burke and Billy Bean.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2026
Inside the building, a life-size painting depicting Wes Fisler, the Athletics’ first baseman that day, commemorates the event.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
I wear a beard and mustache but shave my cheeks; said beard, having a dark skunk stripe up the middle and white edges, commemorates certain relatives.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Those aircraft, along with six others, are all commemorated in the second set of stamps:
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 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
Patni commemorated Akash with a framed photograph and a life-size cutout, decorated with flowers and surrounded by scattered rose petals and lit lamps.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Over the past 250 years, Americans have commemorated Independence Day with festivals, barbecues, music and fireworks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
For Katherine, the report commemorated the beginning of a new phase not just at Langley but in her personal life.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
There’s a day for everything — and July 14 is, of course, most well known internationally for being Bastille Day, commemorating France’s independence.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
Disneyland Resort is commemorating its 70th anniversary through Aug. 9, and has introduced new shows and additions to rides as part of the occasion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
In the south aisle of the nave is also an elaborate wall monument commemorating John, 1st Lord Henniker who was buried at the cathedral in 1803.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
They are thanked, and thanked, and thanked, by the emcees and by many tributes on-screen, including multiple A.I. slop videos commemorating soldiers past and present.
From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026
At the far end of the gym was a big glass trophy case, filled with plaques and medals and glossy golden cups commemorating Fry High achievements in sports and academics over the years.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
