Synonyms for commencement
kəˈmɛns məntcom·mence·ment

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. commencement

   The Latin commencement is more formal than the Saxon beginning, as the verb commence, is more formal than begin. Commencement is for the most part restricted to some form of action, while beginning has no restriction, but may be applied to action, state, material, extent, enumeration, or to whatever else may be conceived of as having a first part, point, degree, etc. The letter A is at the beginning (not the commencement) of every alphabet. If we were to speak of the commencement of the Pacific Railroad, we should be understood to refer to the enterprise and its initiatory act; if we were to refer to the roadway we should say "Here is the beginning of the Pacific Railroad." In the great majority of cases begin and beginning are preferable to commence and commencement as the simple, idiomatic English words, always accurate and expressive. "In the beginning was the word," John i, 1. An origin is the point from which something starts or sets out, often involving, and always suggesting causal connection; as, the origin of evil; the origin of a nation, a government, or a family. A source is that which furnishes a first and continuous supply, that which flows forth freely or may be readily recurred to; as, the source of a river; a source of knowledge; a source of inspiration; fertile land is a source (not an origin) of wealth. A rise is thought of as in an action; we say that a lake is the source of a certain river, or that the river takes its rise from the lake. Motley wrote of "The Rise of the Dutch Republic." Fount, fountain, and spring, in their figurative senses, keep close to their literal meaning. Compare CAUSE.

   See synonyms for END.

   Synonyms:
   arising, beginning, fount, fountain, inauguration, inception, initiation, opening, origin, outset, rise, source, spring, start

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. beginning, commencement, first, outset, get-go, start, kickoff, starting time, showtime, offsetnoun

   the time at which something is supposed to begin

   "they got an early start"; "she knew from the get-go that he was the man for her"

   Synonyms:
   starting, get-go, low gear, starting line, number one, first gear, showtime, offset, runner, rootage, send-off, setoff, scratch line, commencement ceremony, first, graduation, low, root, kickoff, outgrowth, stolon, source, commencement exercise, start-off, counterbalance, scratch, startle, head start, start, branch, origin, first-class honours degree, number 1, first base, outset, jump, offset printing, starting time, starting signal, graduation exercise, beginning, offshoot, set-back

2. commencement, commencement exercise, commencement ceremony, graduation, graduation exercisenoun

   an academic exercise in which diplomas are conferred

   Synonyms:
   starting time, kickoff, beginning, graduation exercise, showtime, commencement exercise, graduation, get-go, gradation, first, start, outset, commencement ceremony, offset

3. beginning, start, commencementnoun

   the act of starting something

   "he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations"

   Synonyms:
   rootage, outset, graduation, startle, graduation exercise, commencement exercise, first, showtime, head start, starting time, scratch line, scratch, beginning, commencement ceremony, start, origin, starting line, get-go, kickoff, root, source, starting, offset, starting signal, jump

Matched Categories

1. • Change Of State
   • Exercise
   • Point In Time

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. commencementnoun

   Synonyms:
   beginning, outset, opening

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "commencement":

   beginning, opening, start, launch, initiation, launching, openness, outset, onset, early, start-up, startup, commence, inception, starting, begin, boot, began, aperture, opening-up

How to pronounce commencement?

How to say commencement in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use commencement in a sentence?

1. Author Rachel Swaby:

   Until that time, Harvard didn't take on women faculty, so when it did, it was a big scandal, she wasn't allowed to use the faculty lounge or to walk in commencement. But she got a warm welcome otherwise.

2. Junior Jasmine Smith:

   I'm all for building bridges, and I welcome Secretary DeVos to meet me and more undergraduate students ... but not at a commencement speech where it's so one-sided.

3. Conal Byrne:

   Because so many schools and colleges have moved to online learning to ensure the safety of their students, many graduates are missing their commencement ceremonies, traditionally such significant milestones in their lives.

4. Anthony Lake:

   I will try to follow the advice that a university president once gave a prospective commencement speaker. 'Think of yourself as the body at an Irish wake,' he said. 'They need you in order to have the party, but no one expects you to say very much.'

5. W, Willard Wirtz:

   Commencement speakers have a good deal in common with grandfather clocks Standing usually some six feet tall, typically ponderous in construction, more traditional than functional, their distinction is largely their noisy communication of essentially commonplace information.