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.

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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

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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

Unitree's IPO is a "primary school graduation ceremony" moment for China's humanoid robotics industry, said Tianyu Zang, partner at Beijing-based venture capital firm Jinqiu Capital, which took part in Unitree's funding round last year.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

Only one of them started their career right after graduation.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

Kaye then turned his attention once more to the defendant, who was headed to Knott’s Berry Farm to celebrate his graduation with family.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

The free, five-week program guarantees participants a job at a Meta site upon graduation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

“There was no graduation party. I came here instead.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

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

I’m grateful to everyone who reads and shares this tradition, through all your family games, neighborhood feuds, sprained ankles, surgically-repaired shoulders, weddings, graduations, funerals, babies and at least three confused Aaron Rodgers franchises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 26, 2025

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