commemorate

commemorate — verb

1. to do something special — such as holding a ceremony, building a monument, or na

1.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to do something special — such as holding a ceremony, building a monument, or naming a day — to make sure people remember and respect an important person, event, or achievement from the past.

Example

Every year on 11 November, the villagers commemorate the soldiers who died in the war.

collocation: commemorate + those who died / war dead

A large stone monument in the park commemorates the famous writer who once lived there.

passive: be commemorated by [monument]

Common collocations
  • commemorate an anniversary
  • commemorate the dead / the fallen / the victims
  • commemorate an event / a victory / a discovery
  • commemorate a birth / a death / a centenary
  • commemorate a hero / a leader / a soldier
  • commemorate with a ceremony / a statue / a plaque / a stamp
  • hold a service to commemorate
  • erect a monument to commemorate
Synonyms
  • honour

    broader in scope; can be personal, private, or public (e.g. 'honour a promise'), whereas commemorate always involves memory of the past.

  • memorialize

    very close in meaning but often emphasises creating a lasting physical object or record; slightly less common.

  • observe

    limited to marking occasions or anniversaries; does not apply to people or monuments ('observe a holiday' vs 'commemorate a hero').

  • remember

    general mental act; lacks the official, ceremonial, or public dimension of commemorate.

Antonyms
  • forget

    the opposite in terms of memory; if no one commemorates an event, it may be forgotten.

  • ignore

    deliberately not honouring an event or person; implies a choice to pay no attention.

Grammar Patterns

commemorate + noun phrase (person/event/anniversary)

commemorate + with + noun phrase (method)

be commemorated + by + noun phrase (passive)

Usage Note

Formal register; always transitive. The object is typically a person, event, anniversary, or achievement. Unlike 'remember,' which refers to a personal mental act, commemorate describes an external, often public act of honouring.

Common Mistakes

We commemorated at the war memorial yesterday.
We commemorated the war dead at the memorial yesterday.
commemorate is transitive and must be followed by a direct object.
I commemorate my grandfather every morning with a cup of tea.
I remember my grandfather every morning with a cup of tea.
commemorate refers to public or official acts of remembrance, not private, personal memory.

Word family

  • commemoration
    nounC2
  • commemorative
    adjectiveC2
  • commemoratively
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve giving attention to someone or something, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Commemorate' is the most specific: it always refers to an intentional, often public act that keeps the memory of a past person or event alive — a ceremony, a monument, a holiday. 'Honour' is broader; you can honour someone with a tribute (close to commemorate), but also by obeying their wishes, keeping a promise, or treating them with personal respect. 'Remember' is the everyday, internal act of keeping something in mind; it needs no outward action. 'Observe' applies narrowly to occasions ('observe a minute of silence', 'observe Remembrance Day'), not to people or physical memorials. 'Memorialize' is the nearest synonym — it emphasises creating a lasting record or object — but is less common and slightly more formal. For example: a town may 'commemorate' its founder with a statue ('memorialize' also works), 'observe' the anniversary of his death, and individual residents may 'remember' him quietly at home or 'honour' his legacy by volunteering.

honourremember ↗observe ↗memorialize

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in memory of
  • as a tribute to
  • in honour of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin commemoratus, past participle of commemorare 'to bring to remembrance, recall, mention,' from com- (intensive prefix) + memorare 'to remind, mention,' from memor 'mindful.' The word entered English in the late 1500s and has been used ever since for official acts of remembrance.