graduation
Americannoun
-
an act of graduating; the state of being graduated.
-
the ceremony of conferring degrees or diplomas, as at a college or school.
-
arrangement in degrees, levels, or ranks.
noun
-
the act of graduating or the state of being graduated
-
the ceremony at which school or college degrees and diplomas are conferred
-
a mark or division or all the marks or divisions that indicate measure on an instrument or vessel
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from poems about communication
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Hanging Fire"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In general, we have a school district focused on 100% graduation rates, no F’s.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
Stanford students also staged protests at the university's graduation ceremonies in 2024 and 2025.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
"Since I got the news, I hardly eat. I find myself in a different world," Josephine Ngoya, Mundia's mother, told AFP, holding a portrait of her son at his university graduation.
From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026
Oh, and it’s graduation season, which means hundreds of teenagers will arrive right after their high-school commencement ceremonies for Project Grad, an alcohol-free night at the mall.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
I knew that was good, 'cause people made all kinds of fusses about the school and about Ty'ree at his graduation.
From "Miracle's Boys" by Jacqueline Woodson
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.
