graduation

American  

[graj-oo-ay-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

He hopes to eventually follow the students into high school and college to examine whether their early academic advantages translate into higher graduation rates and college readiness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

In reality, Navatek’s initial research “looked like a college senior’s graduation project,” the executive said.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

Now, at the academy, cadets had to fork over to leave the compound, take longer vacations or choose their military base after graduation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

That could be a stroke that takes away their ability to speak or a cancer that keeps them from attending their grandchild’s high-school graduation.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

“Happy graduation, baby,” Gina says, and hugs her.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Bouquets of banknotes or cakes decorated with currency are often ordered as gifts for weddings, birthdays, graduations and other celebrations.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

But he said that as a large buyer of the gas, the company had wider access to suppliers, adding that Dollar Tree already had sufficient balloon supplies for Mother’s Day and spring student graduations.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 30, 2026

Other charitable funds help maintain the department’s fleet of helicopters, support the spouses and children of slain officers and promote the official police department band that performs at graduations, funerals and other functions.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

At several graduations around the country this month, students booed commencement speakers, including ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt, as they discussed AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

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

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• convocation

---