graduation
Americannoun
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an act of graduating; the state of being graduated.
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the ceremony of conferring degrees or diplomas, as at a college or school.
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arrangement in degrees, levels, or ranks.
noun
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the act of graduating or the state of being graduated
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the ceremony at which school or college degrees and diplomas are conferred
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a mark or division or all the marks or divisions that indicate measure on an instrument or vessel
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing graduation
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Vocabulary from poems about communication
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"Hanging Fire"
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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.
The remarks aligned with a broader pattern in which Trump has increasingly incorporated physical appearance into public evaluations of military personnel and officials, blending ceremonial praise with informal commentary that moved beyond traditional graduation rhetoric.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
When Nancy Hughes’s daughter moves back home this year after graduation, she’ll pay her mom a certain amount each mont, which Hughes will then put into a savings account for her.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
It’s graduation season, so you know what that means: a lotta commencement speeches from wealthy figures of renown—all directed to debt-burdened, half-asleep, cap-and-gown-clad graduates worried about the frozen job market awaiting them.
From Slate • May 20, 2026
On Thursday evening, USC awarded Dudamel an honorary doctorate during its graduation ceremonies at the Coliseum, where Dudamel also gave the commencement speech.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
To reestablish his links to the black community after graduation, he accepted a scholarship from the Urban League to pursue a master’s degree in social work at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
