commence
Set in motion
Commence means to begin or start.
It's more formal than its synonyms and appears often in official contexts: Graduation ceremonies will commence at noon, Let the games commence.
Legal and military language favors commence over begin.
The noun commencement names the ceremony marking the start of graduates' post-academic lives.
To set going
- genesisPoint of creation
- dawnDay's first glow
- outsetInitial point of something
- inceptionFounding moment
onset · origination · birth · threshold · kickoff · prologue · initiation · alpha
Official oath-taking ceremony
- oathFormal binding promise
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- inductionFormal admission process
- installationProcess of putting in
investiture · inauguration · debut · premiere · maiden · ribbon-cutting · christening · groundbreaking
Covering for top
- gownLong formal garment
- diplomaAcademic completion document
- valedictorianTop-ranked graduating student
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
convocation · procession · degree · mortarboard · tassel · hooding · baccalaureate · regalia
Fabric hung for privacy
- overtureIntroductory orchestral piece
- preludeIntroductory piece or event
- fanfareCeremonial brass announcement
- opening nightFirst staged performance
first act · debut · premiere · unveiling · downbeat · opening number · showtime · house lights
start
To set going
inception · onset · origination · birth · threshold · kickoff · prologue · initiation · alpha · foundation
swearing-in
Official oath-taking ceremony
installation · investiture · inauguration · debut · premiere · maiden · ribbon-cutting · christening · groundbreaking · unveiling
cap
Covering for top
- gownLong formal garment
- diplomaAcademic completion document
- valedictorianTop-ranked graduating student
ceremony · convocation · procession · degree · mortarboard · tassel · hooding · baccalaureate · regalia · conferral
curtain
Fabric hung for privacy
- overtureIntroductory orchestral piece
- preludeIntroductory piece or event
- fanfareCeremonial brass announcement
opening night · first act · debut · premiere · unveiling · downbeat · opening number · showtime · house lights
- beginningsbegin, beginning, start, first, opening
- commandsgo, stop, wait, come, run
- getting startedgetting started, start, begin, first steps, basics
- starting actionsbegin, start, initiate, launch, embark
- starting wordsbegin, start, initiate, embark, kick off
- Open synonymsajar, unlocked, unsealed, uncovered, exposed
- commencement speechOration at graduation ceremonies
- commencement speakerOne addressing graduates
- commencement addressFormal graduation ceremony speech
- commencement speechesOrations at degree ceremonies
- commencement ceremonyFormal degree-conferring event
- commencement addressesSpeeches at graduation ceremonies
recommend, commendable, commencement, commendation, commenced, commencing, recommence, commences, commendably