commencement
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the start or beginning of something.
the act or fact of starting; the initial stage of a process or event.
Simple“The commencement of the project was delayed by two weeks due to bad weather.”
In context“The legal team awaited the formal commencement of proceedings before submitting their final evidence to the court.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of' followed by a noun phrase.
Teacher's tipThis is a high-register synonym for 'start'; advise students to use it in professional or academic writing rather than casual conversation.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a formal ceremony where students receive their degrees or diplomas.
the ceremony at which academic degrees or diplomas are conferred upon students.
Simple“Her parents flew across the country to attend her university commencement.”
In context“The keynote speaker at the commencement ceremony encouraged the graduates to pursue careers that aligned with their ethical values.”
UsageCommonly used as a countable noun in North American academic contexts.
Teacher's tipIn British English, 'graduation' is the standard term; 'commencement' for a ceremony is primarily an American usage.
Synonyms
“An earlier version gave incorrect commencement dates for the US and Canadian tariffs.”
From French commencement; analyzable as commence + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.