commencement
Americannoun
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an act or instance of commencing; beginning.
the commencement of hostilities.
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the ceremony of conferring degrees or granting diplomas at the end of the academic year.
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the day on which this ceremony takes place.
noun
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the beginning; start
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a ceremony for the presentation of awards at secondary schools
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a ceremony for the conferment of academic degrees
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Other Word Forms
- noncommencement noun
- recommencement noun
Etymology
Origin of commencement
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French; equivalent to commence + -ment
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.
“I think that the market is actually correctly looking through the commencement of the war,” said Chris Grisanti, chief market strategist and a portfolio manager at MAI Capital Management.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026
He added that "lots of stuff has to be done this year in order to enable the actual commencement of building".
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
He said the site's existing planning permission had been awarded a lawful commencement notice over a decade ago, so it remained valid.
From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026
He once delivered 15 commencement addresses in nine days.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
He had disrupted commencement ceremonies by deliberately wearing a gold cap and gown, and the principal had threatened to bar him unless he changed into the mandated blue ones.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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.
