usher in

verb

ushered in; ushering in; ushers in

transitive verb

1

: to serve to bring into being

a discovery that ushered in a period of change

2

: to mark or observe the beginning of

ushered in the new year with merrymaking

Choose the Right Synonym for usher in

begin, commence, start, initiate, inaugurate, usher in mean to take the first step in a course, process, or operation.

begin, start, and commence are often interchangeable.

begin, opposed to end, is the most general.

begin a trip

began dancing

start, opposed to stop, applies especially to first actions, steps, or stages.

the work started slowly

commence can be more formal or bookish than begin or start.

commence firing

commenced a conversation

initiate implies taking a first step in a process or series that is to continue.

initiated diplomatic contacts

inaugurate suggests a beginning of some formality or notion of significance.

the discovery of penicillin inaugurated a new era in medicine

usher in is somewhat less weighty than inaugurate.

ushered in a period of economic decline

Examples of usher in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adding in symbols of wealth and prosperity and maintaining the curb appeal of the front door will also help usher in good energy. —Nora Taylor, Architectural Digest, 27 June 2024

He’s credited with 722 individual works, including symphonies, sonatas, and choral music — creations that pushed the boundaries of composition and performance, and helped usher in the Romantic era of music. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 27 June 2024

Far from normalcy, however, President Biden and his advisers ushered in an unprecedented period of global unrest, reducing America’s credibility abroad and increasing the prices of everyday household goods at home. —Marco Rubio, National Review, 27 June 2024

Amazon's 10th Prime Day is just around the corner, and the e-commerce company has tapped rapper Megan Thee Stallion to help usher in the sales event. —Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 25 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1