graduation

American  

[graj-oo-ey-shuhn] / ˌgrædʒ uˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

graduations plural

1. an act of graduating; the state of being graduated.

2. the ceremony of conferring degrees or diplomas, as at a college or school.

3. arrangement in degrees, levels, or ranks.

---

graduation British  

/ ˌɡrædjʊˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of graduating or the state of being graduated

2. the ceremony at which school or college degrees and diplomas are conferred

3. a mark or division or all the marks or divisions that indicate measure on an instrument or vessel

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nongraduation
  noun
• pregraduation
  noun
• postgraduation
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• graduations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of graduation

1375–1425; late Middle English graduacion < Medieval Latin graduātiōn- (stem of graduātiō ). See graduate, -ion

Explanation

Graduation happens when you successfully complete an academic program, like high school or college. Then you go to a graduation ceremony. Scientists might talk about the graduation lines on beakers and rulers that mark out units of measurement. But when most people hear this word, they think about finishing school. Students and their families celebrate graduation from high school, college, training programs, and even kindergarten. At graduation ceremonies, people often wear funny tasseled hats and long robes, then walk up one by one to get an official diploma or certificate.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

graduation graduations

In general, we have a school district focused on 100% graduation rates, no F’s.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Phia Dennis, a fashion and lifestyle Substacker, owns a 1997 green Defender that her parents bought her as a graduation gift a few years ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Local authorities were also ordered to take stray dogs off the streets and many events were cancelled, including exams, graduation ceremonies, festivals, concerts, entertainment and celebrations for the summit week.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

After last year’s graduation season, even some top-tier M.B.A. graduates struggled to land jobs several months after leaving their universities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

There was a dinner the night before my graduation where I was to receive the “most outstanding undergraduate” award from the history department.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Six years ago, the pandemic sent Klapp and her peers home from their high schools months before their graduations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Several graduations this spring featured tone-deaf commencement speeches praising artificial intelligence, which the crowds greeted with a symphony of boos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

At holidays or graduations or milestone birthdays, we’d joke about phantom hunger pangs, gesturing to the empty spot where the foil tray should’ve been.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2025

Ms Gray has been appointed a pro-chancellor at QUB, so will attend ceremonies like graduations too.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2025

It caused quite a flurry in a family with a history of more births than graduations.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• convocation