Meaning & use
ceremony
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Meanings
nouncountable
A formal event that marks an important occasion, usually with traditional actions or words.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun: a ceremony, the ceremony, ceremonies.
Patterns
- a ceremony for something
- hold a ceremony
- attend a ceremony
The wedding ceremony took place in a small church.
Thousands attended the opening ceremony of the new library.
They held a ceremony to honor the retiring teachers.
noununcountable
The set of formal actions and words used in such an event.
Grammar: Used without an article when talking about the formal actions in general: full of ceremony, without ceremony.
Patterns
- with ceremony
- without ceremony
- stand on ceremony
The award was presented with great ceremony.
He disliked ceremony and preferred to keep things simple.
Please don't stand on ceremony; make yourself at home.
Word forms
| plural | ceremonies |
|---|
Common combinations
- wedding ceremony
- The wedding ceremony was held outdoors.
- opening ceremony
- The opening ceremony included a speech by the mayor.
- award ceremony
- The film won three prizes at the award ceremony.
- stand on ceremony
- Don't stand on ceremony—just come in.
- without ceremony
- She was dismissed without ceremony.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rite
- A rite is a religious or solemn ceremony with a fixed set of actions; use it for sacred rituals, not for everyday formal events.
- ritual
- A ritual is a set of actions performed in a fixed order, often religious; a ceremony can be more public and celebratory.
- celebration
- A celebration is a joyful event, often less formal than a ceremony and not necessarily following a traditional pattern.
Word family
- ceremonial adjective
- Relating to or used in ceremonies.
- ceremonious adjective
- Very formal and polite, often in an exaggerated way.
- ceremonially adverb
- In a way that relates to a ceremony.
Commonly confused: ceremony or ceremony?
ceremony vs ceremony
Do not confuse with 'ceremonial', which is an adjective meaning 'relating to a ceremony'.
Practice
The new president will be sworn in at a special ___ tomorrow.
Choose one answer.
The noun 'ceremony' fits after 'a special' and before 'tomorrow'. 'Ceremonial' and 'ceremonious' are adjectives, and 'ceremonially' is an adverb, so none can be the object of 'at a special'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ceremony”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.