INAUGURAL Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

inaugural 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈnȯ-gyə-rəl

Definition of inaugural

as in first

coming before all others in time or order the inaugural event in the city's week long festival honoring the sailing ships

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

inaugural

2 of 2

noun

as in inauguration

the process or an instance of being formally placed in an office or organization attended the inaugurals of the city's last three mayors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of inaugural

Adjective

Barker will also receive IndieWire’s inaugural Future of Filmmaking Award at its namesake event, an artistic summit, on October 17 in Los Angeles. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Oct. 2026 In 2025, the Valkyries became the first expansion franchise in league history to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Noun

In Andrew Jackson's first inaugural, Andrew Jackson calls himself an instrument of the federal Constitution. — NBC news, 11 Jan. 2026 If fundraising is Global’s plan with its pair of inaugurals, leaving its A380 parked at JFK for four days between flights is an odd choice. — Edward Russell, CNN Money, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for inaugural

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaugural

Adjective

Now Ricketts is running for his first full six-year term against independent Dan Osborn -- a race that initially was not expected to be competitive but is now being watched by the national parties.

— NICHOLAS INGRAM, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
One of the first of those is when their AI program teaches itself to beat the machine in a notoriously difficult video game.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of first

Noun

Trump launched his memecoin shortly before his inauguration in 2025.

— Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
The companies contributed $1 million each to Trump’s inauguration and spent millions lobbying Congress and federal agencies in the lead-up to the passage of the 2025 tax and spending bill, according to the letter.

— Justin Papp, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of inauguration

Adjective

However, Efthymiou has been unable to get GBP100,000 (about $130,000) to perform the initial mouse-model study.

— Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
In the initial screening, AccuPoint Solutions uses a variety of primary data points as a minimum baseline, maximum ceiling or within a range to eliminate those firms that do not meet CNBC's requirements.

— Kelli Grant, CFP®,Riley de León, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of initial

Adjective

The Fox reboot is being showrun by Matt Nix (Burn Notice),while many of the original creators are back to EP, including Michael Berk, Greg Bonann and Doug Schwartz, alongside new EPs Dante Di Loreto and Mike Horowitz.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
The original series won the Golden Globe for best drama in 2019 and routinely lands near the top of lists hailing the best TV series of the past quarter century.

— Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of original

Adjective

The first points at the new Ryan Field went to — fittingly enough — the Wildcats when Jackson Kleather booted a 50-yarder between the uprights to cap off Northwestern's maiden drive in their new home.

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
The maiden flight was conducted by Captain and Test Pilot Bernardo Saez-Benito and First Officer and Experimental Test Pilot Sylvain Guiraud.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of maiden

Adjective

Considered the foremost institution for Asian art in the United States, this additional space will give the museum more room to display roughly 4,000 historic and contemporary works from its more than 21,000-piece collection of Asian artists.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Seeing the internet’s foremost disciple of glow meet the internet’s foremost purveyor of good lighting, though, feels quite satisfying—who else needs another excuse to update that Sephora cart?

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of foremost

Browse Nearby Words

inaudibly

inaugural

inaugurals

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“Inaugural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaugural. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inaugural

adjective

noun

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