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commemorate

kuh-MEM-uh-reyt /kəˈmɛməreɪt/

verbB2IELTSTOEFLSAT

Formal

To recall and show respect for someone or something in a ceremony.

Implies a collective, public act of memory rather than a private thought.

The story behind the word. From the Latin 'commemoratus,' it literally means to 'bring to mind together.' It suggests that memory is most powerful when shared by a community.

Word relationships

honor: Honor is broader; you can honor someone who is still alive, whereas commemorate usually looks backward at an event or person.
celebrate: Celebrate is usually joyful; commemorate can be joyful but is often more serious or reflective.

ignore: To intentionally fail to acknowledge something.
forget: The natural loss of memory, whereas commemorate is the active prevention of that loss.

Commonly confused with

memorize: Memorize means to commit to memory (like a poem); commemorate means to honor a memory.

Word family

commemoration (noun): The act of commemorating.
commemorative (adjective): Serving to commemorate.

Collocations

commemorate an anniversary
commemorate the fallen
ceremony to commemorate

Example sentences

"The city will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the war with a parade." A historical event being marked by the public.
"We commemorate the dead by the way we live our lives in the present." A literary reference to memory.

Memory hook

Think of 'Common Memory'—a community coming together to share a memory. Together we remember.

When not to use

Do not use for simply remembering a grocery list or a casual fact; it requires a sense of honor or ceremony.

Fun facts

Many countries issue commemorative coins that are legal tender but intended for collectors to mark specific historical events.