Standard Lemma guide

graduation

noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˌɡɹæd͡ʒuˈeɪʃən/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɡɹædjuˈeɪʃən/
  • rhymes with -eɪʃən
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: G R AE2 JH UW0 EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: G R AE2 JH AH0 W EY1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The action or process of graduating and receiving a diploma for completing a course of study (such as from an educational institution).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The graduation ball was the students' chance to say goodbye to each other.
  • After my graduation, I took a year out to travel, then went into an office job.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A commencement ceremony.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The action or process of leaving a group.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Japanese, countable, uncountable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle

Examples

  • graduation from AKB48

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A marking (e.g., on a container) indicating a measurement on a scale, usually one of many such markings; the making of such marks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The exposure of a liquid in large surfaces to the air, so as to hasten its evaporation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Synonym of gradation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gradation

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

the successful completion of a program of study

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: completion, culmination, closing, windup, mop up

8

noun

Meaning 8

the act of arranging in grades

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gradation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: quantification

Narrower terms: shading, blending

9

noun

Meaning 9

a line (as on a vessel or ruler) that marks a measurement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the ruler had 16 graduations per inch

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: line

10

noun

Meaning 10

an academic exercise in which diplomas are conferred

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: commencement, commencement exercise, commencement ceremony, graduation exercise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exercise

History

Etymology

From graduate + -ion.

Across languages

Translations

78 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تَخَرُّج (taḵarruj) — the action or process of graduating
  • Bulgarian: абсолви́ране (absolvírane) — the action or process of graduating
  • Chinese Cantonese: 畢業 /毕业 (bat1 jip6) — the action or process of graduating
  • Chinese: 畢業 /毕业 (zh-min-nan) — the action or process of graduating
  • Chinese Mandarin: 畢業 /毕业 (bìyè) — the action or process of graduating
  • Czech: promoce — the action or process of graduating
  • Finnish: valmistuminen — the action or process of graduating
  • German: Abschluss — the action or process of graduating
  • Greek: αποφοίτηση (apofoítisi) — the action or process of graduating
  • Hindi: स्नातक (snātak) — the action or process of graduating
  • Hindi: दीक्षान्त (dīkṣānt) — the action or process of graduating
  • Hungarian: diplomaszerzés — the action or process of graduating
  • Hungarian: diplomázás — the action or process of graduating
  • Hungarian: lediplomázás — the action or process of graduating
  • Hungarian: egyetem/főiskola elvégzése — the action or process of graduating
  • Hungarian: középiskola elvégzése — the action or process of graduating
  • Indonesian: kelulusan — the action or process of graduating
  • Indonesian: graduasi — the action or process of graduating
  • Italian: graduazione — the action or process of graduating
  • Japanese: 卒業 (sotsugyō) — the action or process of graduating
  • Korean: 졸업 (joreop) — the action or process of graduating
  • Malay: graduasi — the action or process of graduating
  • Māori: whakapōtaetanga — the action or process of graduating
  • Māori: whakawhiwhinga — the action or process of graduating
  • Navajo: daʼiiłtááh — the action or process of graduating
  • Persian: فارغالتحصیلی (fâreġ-ot-tahsili) — the action or process of graduating
  • Portuguese: formatura — the action or process of graduating
  • Russian: оконча́ние (okončánije) — the action or process of graduating
  • Scottish Gaelic: ceumnachadh — the action or process of graduating
  • Slovene: matura — the action or process of graduating
  • Spanish: graduación — the action or process of graduating
  • Tagalog: pagtatapos — the action or process of graduating
  • Turkish: mezuniyet — the action or process of graduating
  • Chinese Mandarin: 畢業典禮 /毕业典礼 (bìyè diǎnlǐ) — a commencement ceremony
  • Czech: promoce — a commencement ceremony
  • Dutch: diploma-uitreiking — a commencement ceremony
  • Finnish: valmistujaiset — a commencement ceremony
  • French: remise des diplômes — a commencement ceremony
  • German: Abschlussfeier — a commencement ceremony
  • Greek: αποφοίτηση (apofoítisi) — a commencement ceremony
  • Greek: τελετή αποφοίτησης (teletí apofoítisis) — a commencement ceremony
  • Hindi: दीक्षान्त समारोह (dīkṣānt samāroh) — a commencement ceremony
  • Hungarian: diplomaosztás — a commencement ceremony
  • Hungarian: diplomaosztó/diplomaátadó ünnepség/ünnepély — a commencement ceremony
  • Hungarian: ballagás — a commencement ceremony
  • Indonesian: wisuda — a commencement ceremony
  • Italian: graduazione — a commencement ceremony
  • Japanese: 卒業式 (sotsugyōshiki) — a commencement ceremony
  • Korean: 졸업식 (joreopsik) — a commencement ceremony
  • Malay: konvokesyen — a commencement ceremony
  • Malay: majlis graduasi — a commencement ceremony
  • Malay: majlis penyampaian ijazah — a commencement ceremony
  • Persian: جشن فارغالتحصیلی (jašn-e fâreġ-ot-tahsili) — a commencement ceremony
  • Portuguese: graduação — a commencement ceremony
  • Portuguese: cerimônia de colação de grau — a commencement ceremony
  • Russian: церемо́ния (ceremónija) — a commencement ceremony
  • Scottish Gaelic: ceumnachadh — a commencement ceremony
  • Spanish: graduación — a commencement ceremony
  • Tagalog: pagtatapos — a commencement ceremony
  • Turkish: mezuniyet — a commencement ceremony
  • Turkish: mezuniyet töreni — a commencement ceremony
  • Vietnamese: lễ tốt nghiệp — a commencement ceremony
  • Bulgarian: градуи́ране (graduírane) — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刻度 (kèdù) — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Finnish: asteikko — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • French: graduation — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • German: Graduierung — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Hungarian: fokbeosztás — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Hungarian: fokjelölés — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Hungarian: fokozatokra osztás — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Indonesian: graduasi — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Italian: graduazione — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Japanese: 目盛り (memori) — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Polish: wskaz — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Portuguese: graduação — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Russian: градуиро́вка (graduiróvka) — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Russian: деле́ния (delénija) — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
  • Spanish: graduación — a marking (i.e. on a container) indicating a measurement
Real reading context

graduation in complete knowledge articles