inaugurate

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

/ ɪnˈɔ gyəˌreɪt, -gə- /

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See synonyms for: inaugurate / inaugurated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), in·au·gu·rat·ed, in·au·gu·rat·ing.

to make a formal beginning of; initiate; commence; begin: The end of World War II inaugurated the era of nuclear power.

to induct into office with formal ceremonies; install.

to introduce into public use by some formal ceremony: Airmail service between Washington, D.C., and New York City was inaugurated in 1918.

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Origin of inaugurate

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”); see in-², augur¹, -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM inaugurate

in·au·gu·ra·tor, nounpre·in·au·gu·rate, verb (used with object), pre·in·au·gu·rat·ed, pre·in·au·gu·rat·ing.re·in·au·gu·rate, verb (used with object), re·in·au·gu·rat·ed, re·in·au·gu·rat·ing.un·in·au·gu·rat·ed, adjective

well-in·au·gu·rat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use inaugurate in a sentence

In January 2017, Hillary Clinton was inaugurated as president, and the Trumpist faction of the GOP was blamed for blowing an election Republicans could have won.
The crisis isn’t too much polarization. It’s too little democracy.|Ezra Klein|November 12, 2020|Vox
“Granting these franchises is a momentous decision for the City Council that should not be rushed, especially when a new council and new mayor are about to be inaugurated,” Gómez wrote in the memo.
Morning Report: Pushing Pause on the Franchise Fee Decision|Voice of San Diego|November 12, 2020|Voice of San Diego
If the vote comes before the Council before its newly elected officials are inaugurated, though, there will be just eight Council votes up for grabs.
What a Delayed Energy Contract Means for San Diego|MacKenzie Elmer|November 11, 2020|Voice of San Diego
“Granting these franchises is a momentous decision for the City Council that should not be rushed, especially when a new Council and a new Mayor are about to be inaugurated,” she wrote.
Morning Report: All Eyes on Council President Race|Voice of San Diego|November 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego

Originally scheduled to open in 2010 at a cost of €77 million, the facility was finally inaugurated in 2017, having cost a total of €866 million to build—almost all of which was paid for by Hamburg’s taxpayers.
More than 8 years behind schedule, Berlin’s new airport opens today amid an epic crisis in air travel|David Meyer|October 31, 2020|Fortune
George Washington had walked there to pray after he was inaugurated the first President of the United States.
The Resilient City: New York After 9/11|John Avlon|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beginning in 1318, it inaugurated the gradual demise of Telugu sovereignty.
India’s Newest State Telangana Is Bosnia Redux|Kranti Rai|March 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Which brings us to the newly inaugurated second-term governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie.
Conduct Unbecoming: A Cautionary Tale of 3 Governors|Ron Christie|January 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The blizzard is the first big test of newly inaugurated Mayor Bill de Blasio.
After the Blizzard, 100 Million People Will Be Hit With Freezing Air From the North Pole|Eric Holthaus|January 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In doing so, he almost singlehandedly inaugurated the dominant trend in fiction over the last 20 years.
The Deaths You Missed This Year|Malcolm Jones, Jimmy So, Michael Moynihan, Caitlin Dickson|December 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
John Cantacuzenus, the historian of his own times, and a defender of the faith, inaugurated emperor of Constantinople.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
He also inaugurated "an entirely new departure in the science of reed voicing."
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
He spent five years over the work, and the new organ was solemnly inaugurated on the 6th of March, 1868.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
Drills were inaugurated at once and regular camp duties were required and performed.
The Supplies for the Confederate Army|Caleb Huse
We allude to that more benevolent code of morality inaugurated by Joseph Addison.
A Cursory History of Swearing|Julian Sharman

British Dictionary definitions for inaugurate

inaugurate

/ (ɪnˈɔːɡjʊˌreɪt) /

verb (tr)

to commence officially or formally; initiate

to place in office formally and ceremonially; induct

to open ceremonially; dedicate formallyto inaugurate a factory

Derived forms of inaugurate

inauguration, nouninaugurator, nouninauguratory (ɪnˈɔːɡjʊrətərɪ, -trɪ), adjective

Word Origin for inaugurate

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

inaugurate

Origin of inaugurate

OTHER WORDS FROM inaugurate

Words related to inaugurate

How to use inaugurate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inaugurate

Derived forms of inaugurate

Word Origin for inaugurate