inaugurate

American  

[in-aw-gyuh-rayt, -guh-] / ɪnˈɔ gjəˌreɪt, -gə- /

verb (used with object)

• inaugurates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• inaugurated,
  past participle,  past
• inaugurating
  present participle

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.

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inaugurate British  

/ ɪnˈɔːɡjʊˌreɪt /

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

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

• inaugurating
  present
• inaugurated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• inaugurate
  simple
• inaugurates
  simple
• have inaugurated
  perfect
• has inaugurated
  perfect
• am inaugurating
  progressive
• are inaugurating
  progressive
• is inaugurating
  progressive
• have been inaugurating
  perfect progressive
• has been inaugurating
  perfect progressive

Past

• inaugurated
  simple
• had inaugurated
  perfect
• was inaugurating
  progressive
• were inaugurating
  progressive
• had been inaugurating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will inaugurate
  simple
• will have inaugurated
  perfect
• will be inaugurating
  progressive
• will have been inaugurating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

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, augur ¹, -ate ¹

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Explanation

To inaugurate means to start something, to give it a kick off. The opening day pep rally inaugurates the high school football season. Inaugurate comes from the Latin word augur, which means taking signs from birds, or telling the future. The Romans would always look for good omens to mark the beginning of something — a war, or a new emperor’s reign — so inaugurate became linked to new beginnings. While inaugurate has long been used in formal contexts, such as the swearing-in ceremony that inaugurates a President's term in office, the word is now also used casually. You might inaugurate your marathon training with a long run.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inaugurate inaugurates inaugurated inaugurating

At an event, the company plans to inaugurate the Sparks, Nev., factory dedicated to making its Semi truck.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

With dozens of performances spread throughout every City Council district, organizers hoped the shows would draw 250,000 attendees and inaugurate the city as a home for jazz events on par with New Orleans and Montreal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

Finally, from 5,000 years ago, the Corded Ware people expanded out of the Russian steppe to inaugurate the European bronze age.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026

The Vatican News website said he would first visit the capital Madrid, and then travel to Barcelona, where he will inaugurate the newest and tallest tower of the Sagrada Familia Basilica.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

The nation’s capital city was getting ready to inaugurate a new president the following month.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Running through April 2027, “The First Salute” is part of Philadelphia’s semiquincentennial celebration and inaugurates the first phase of the Weitzman’s reinvention.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

“Americans in Paris” inaugurates the university’s relocated and renamed art space; it has moved from Washington Square, where it was known as the Grey Art Gallery, several blocks east, to Cooper Square.

From New York Times ● Apr. 25, 2024

Last week, Francis coughed repeatedly during Ash Wednesday services that he presided over at a Roman church, and opted not to participate in the traditional procession that inaugurates the church’s Lenten season.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2024

He won’t be back until October, when he inaugurates the orchestra’s fall season with a celebration of Frank Gehry and the 20th anniversary of Walt Disney Concert Hall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2023

In a word, it is the Communion of Saints which He inaugurates by this utterance and seals by His dying.

From Paradoxes of Catholicism by Robert Hugh Benson

In 1964, Paul VI inaugurated the traveling papacy when he became the first pontiff to leave Italy since Pius VII was carted off to France at gunpoint by Napoleon Bonaparte’s soldiers in 1809.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Donald Trump was a director at the company SLC Turnberry Ltd until he resigned the position in January 2017 - a day before he was inaugurated as US president.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Thursday's verdict concludes a four-year trial largely focused on maintenance of the bridge, which was inaugurated in 1967.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Cuban music lovers inaugurated a Beatles film festival, with fans in Italy, Russia and Greece finding their own ways for commemorating The Beatles’ special place in their lives.

From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026

Besides, the car fire had inaugurated one of the most important discussions of both their lives, a talk that went on for hours, interspersed between ferocious Quake II battles on their linked computers.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini is inaugurating infrastructure every week.

From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026

“Trump and Xi are inaugurating a new era in which technological prowess is at the core of the competition.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2025

Airlines began trans-Atlantic jet passenger service in 1958, significantly cutting travel time and inaugurating a period of exponential growth in travel to Europe.

From New York Times ● Nov. 18, 2024

During his visit, Widodo is inaugurating several construction projects in Nusantara, including a water reservoir.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

This time I’m inaugurating my patent leather shoes and a baby blue poplin dress with a little jacket to match.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

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Related Words

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

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