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

Together, Aoun and Salam could usher in a new era for their country and its long-suffering residents. —Hanin Ghaddar, Foreign Affairs, 4 Feb. 2025

But now, the complexion of the Lakers’ season and foundation has been shaken, with the franchise set to usher in a new era led by Doncic. —Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 3 Feb. 2025

This could usher in a new mutually beneficial era of international relations. —Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025

Diversity disinformation The Black Hawk crash ushered in a wave of disinformation from social media focusing on diversity, inclusion and equity, or DEI. —Tom Bowman, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1