graduation

[graj-oo-ey-shuhn]

noun

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

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

3. arrangement in degrees, levels, or ranks.

graduation

/ 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

• nongraduation noun
• postgraduation adjective
• pregraduation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of graduation¹

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

Example Sentences

On the day of their 1988 graduation, the friend recalled, James bought a starter home in Cleveland.

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Up to and including his high school graduation, Cam was brutalized by his classmates, who found him to be easy pickings.

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Schools are asked to post earnings after graduation for each academic program and to refund tuition for students who drop out during the first semester.

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In addition to graduates’ salaries, the rankings consider schools’ graduation rates and diversity—and their learning environment, based on a survey of about 120,000 students and recent alumni.

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Those who go viral stand to gain a debt-free education, expenses-paid trips and a career path after graduation—and some top TikTok stars are making up to six figures a month.

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Related Words

• convocation