inaugurate

[in-aw-gyuh-reyt, -guh-]

verb (used with object)

inaugurated, inaugurating 

1. to make a formal beginning of; initiate; commence; begin.

   The end of World War II inaugurated the era of nuclear power.

2. to induct into office with formal ceremonies; install.

3. to introduce into public use by some formal ceremony.

   Airmail service between Washington, D.C., and New York City was inaugurated in 1918.

inaugurate

/ ɪnˈɔːɡjʊˌreɪt, -trɪ, ɪnˈɔːɡjʊrətərɪ /

verb

1. to commence officially or formally; initiate

2. to place in office formally and ceremonially; induct

3. to open ceremonially; dedicate formally

   to inaugurate a factory

Other Word Forms

• inaugurator noun
• preinaugurate verb (used with object)
• reinaugurate verb (used with object)
• uninaugurated adjective
• well-inaugurated adjective
• inauguratory adjective
• inauguration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inaugurate¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin inaugurātus, past participle of inaugurāre “to consecrate by augury (a person chosen for priesthood or other office),” literally, “to take auguries”); in- ², augur ¹, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of inaugurate¹

C17: from Latin inaugurāre, literally: to take omens, practise augury, hence to install in office after taking auguries; see _in- ², _augur

Example Sentences

Bolivia's president fired his justice minister Thursday after discovering the man inaugurated just two weeks earlier had failed to disclose having received a three-year prison sentence.

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After the ceremony, the newly inaugurated president will then travel to Áras an Uachtaráin, the official home of the Irish president, via motorcade.

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Incoming president Catherine Connolly will be inaugurated at a ceremony in Dublin Castle on Tuesday.

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When he is inaugurated in January, he will have the chance to build his political reputation from scratch.

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Denmark inaugurated one of Europe's few low-carbon hydrogen plants on Monday, a sector touted as a key to cleaner energy but plagued with challenges.

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Related Words

• commence 
• dedicate 
• induct 
• initiate 
• introduce 
• launch 
• open 
• set up 

When To Use

What does inaugurate mean?

Inaugurate most generally means to formally or officially take action to begin something. Close synonyms are the verbs initiate and commence.More specifically, inaugurate means to officially induct someone into a position with a formal ceremony. A close synonym of this sense of the word is install.The noun inauguration refers to the process of inaugurating or a ceremony in which a person or thing is inaugurated. Things involving or related to inauguration can be described with the adjective inaugural.U.S. presidents are inaugurated—officially inducted into office and sworn in—on Inauguration Day, on which they usually give their inaugural address (speech).Inaugurate can also mean to introduce something into use with a formal ceremony. A new factory or public building might be inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony or a dedication ceremony, for example.In every sense of the word, inaugurate implies at least some formality.Its general sense—meaning to initiate or commence—is typically used in the context of events considered important, such as historical eras, as in The rise of the empire inaugurated a period of renewed warfare. Example: In the U.S., presidents are elected in November, but their terms don’t officially begin until they are inaugurated in January.