inauguration
Americannoun
Usage
What does inauguration mean? Inauguration is the process of inaugurating someone—officially inducting them into a position. It can also refer to the process of introducing something into use with a formal ceremony. Inauguration is also commonly used to refer to a ceremony in which a person or thing is inaugurated. The inauguration of U. S. presidents—in which they are officially inducted into office and sworn in—happens on Inauguration Day. The inauguration of a new factory or public building might involve a ribbon-cutting ceremony or a dedication ceremony, for example. However, the word is not all that commonly used in this way. In the context of buildings, the word dedication is more common. The verb inaugurate can also be used in a more general way meaning to formally or officially take action to begin something—to initiate or commence it. The noun inauguration can also be used in this general way to mean initiation or commencement, as in The end of the war brought about the inauguration of a new era. Example: In the U. S., presidents are elected in November, but their terms don’t officially begin until their inauguration in January.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inauguration
First recorded in 1560–70, inauguration is from the Late Latin word inaugurātiōn- (stem of inaugurātiō ). See inaugurate, -ion.
Explanation
An inauguration is a ceremony that formally marks the start of something. You’ve probably seen the inauguration ceremony when a new president takes office. Inauguration can refer to a formal ceremony, such as one marking the start of a new term in office or the opening of a new wing in a museum, but it can be used more broadly to describe a less formal beginning. Your boss may make you responsible for the inauguration of a new system at work. There probably won’t be a ceremony for that inauguration — in this case, inauguration just indicates that a new practice is being introduced.
Vocabulary lists containing inauguration
One Nation, Under Vocabulary: Political Parlance
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March: Book One
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New Year, New Words: Vocabulary for January
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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.
Trump congratulated González-Colón in a letter shared at her January 2025 inauguration saying, “I am so proud of your resounding victory.”
From Salon • May 6, 2026
Masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided Complete Autowash on a chilly Tuesday morning in January 2025, eight days after President Trump’s second inauguration.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
The jury at the Biennale were due to announce a series of prizes at the inauguration on 9 May.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
In the lower court ruling, one of the handbags was not recognised as a bribe because it had been gifted to Kim before her husband's presidential inauguration.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
