inaugurate
verb
in·au·gu·rate i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrāt 
-gə-ˌrāt
inaugurated; inaugurating
transitive verb
1
: to induct into an office with suitable ceremonies
2
a
: to dedicate ceremoniously : observe formally the beginning of
inaugurate a new school
b
: to bring about the beginning of
inaugurator
i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrā-tər
noun -gə-ˌrā-
Synonyms
- begin
- constitute
- establish
- found
- initiate
- innovate
- institute
- introduce
- launch
- pioneer
- plant
- set up
- start
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
They inaugurated the new headquarters with a brief ceremony. inaugurated the college's athletic program for women
Recent Examples on the Web Delta plans to inaugurate service between Atlanta and Cape Town on Dec. 17, so long as the South African government issues final approval. 
Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 29 July 2022 Abigail Brocwell was expected to inaugurate this year's Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival Aug. 18 with the ceremonial first bite of sausage. Gere Goble, The Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2022 Travel is the perfect opportunity to inaugurate a new chapter in your life. Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 Finally, in 2003, Bosnian Serb authorities relented under pressure and allowed the survivors to inaugurate the memorial cemetery for the victims in the town. Sabina Niksic, ajc, 9 July 2022 Xi Jinping stands with Hong Kong's new Chief Executive John Lee during a ceremony to inaugurate the city's new government in Hong Kong on Friday. Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 1 July 2022 That’s especially true this year, as the festivities helped inaugurate a new building in the heart of downtown, the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus. Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 11 June 2022 Ninety-six-year-old Queen Elizabeth II appeared at Paddington Station to inaugurate the new transit line and wore bright yellow for the big day. Lilit Marcus, CNN, 21 May 2022 The new group Friends of Georgia Radio will be holding its inaugural bash Aug. 27 hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and will celebrate 100 years of Georgia radio and inaugurate the first class of radio legends. Rodney Ho, ajc, 7 June 2022 See More
Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 29 July 2022 Abigail Brocwell was expected to inaugurate this year's Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival Aug. 18 with the ceremonial first bite of sausage. Gere Goble, The Enquirer, 26 Aug. 2022 Travel is the perfect opportunity to inaugurate a new chapter in your life. Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 Finally, in 2003, Bosnian Serb authorities relented under pressure and allowed the survivors to inaugurate the memorial cemetery for the victims in the town. Sabina Niksic, ajc, 9 July 2022 Xi Jinping stands with Hong Kong's new Chief Executive John Lee during a ceremony to inaugurate the city's new government in Hong Kong on Friday. Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 1 July 2022 That’s especially true this year, as the festivities helped inaugurate a new building in the heart of downtown, the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus. Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 11 June 2022 Ninety-six-year-old Queen Elizabeth II appeared at Paddington Station to inaugurate the new transit line and wore bright yellow for the big day. Lilit Marcus, CNN, 21 May 2022 The new group Friends of Georgia Radio will be holding its inaugural bash Aug. 27 hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and will celebrate 100 years of Georgia radio and inaugurate the first class of radio legends. Rodney Ho, ajc, 7 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin inauguratus, past participle of inaugurare, literally, to practice augury, from in- + augurare to augur; from the rites connected with augury
First Known Use
1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
inaugurate
verb
in·au·gu·rate i-ˈnȯ-gyə-ˌrāt
inaugurated; inaugurating
1
: to introduce into office with suitable ceremonies
He was inaugurated as president.
2
: to celebrate the opening of
The town inaugurated a new library.
3
: to bring about the beginning of
The company will inaugurate a new plan.
inaugurates
verb
1
as in founds
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of inaugurated the college's athletic program for women Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- founds
- establishes
- launches
- initiates
- introduces
- creates
- pioneers
- begins
- institutes
- innovates
- constitutes
- organizes
- starts
- plants
- invents
- originates
- constructs
- conceives
- develops
- produces
- concocts
- devises
- manufactures
- fathers
- sets up
- authors
- expands
- contrives
- enlarges
- endows
- systematizes
- funds
- subsidizes
- arranges
- fabricates
- relaunches
- finances
- makes up
- reinstitutes
- reinitiates
- cooks (up)
- systemizes
- thinks (up)
- refounds
- puts up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- abolishes
- closes (down)
- annihilates
- shuts (up)
- annuls
- nullifies
- ends
- terminates
- halts
- stops
- finishes
- phases out
- rounds (off or out)
- winds up
- wraps up
2
as in inducts
to put into an office or welcome into an organization with special ceremonies the president inaugurated the newest member of the club with a welcoming speech Synonyms & Similar Words
- inducts
- initiates
- installs
- instates
- baptizes
- receives
- invests
- seats
- consecrates
- accepts
- enrolls
- enlists
- enshrines
- admits
- enrols
- swears in
- takes in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- terminates
- cans
- discharges
- fires
- musters out