graduate
graduate
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "graduate" can vary slightly depending on whether it's used as a noun or a verb, particularly in American English.
As a noun (a person): /ˈɡrædʒ.u.ət/
grad: /ˈɡrædʒ/
u: /u/
ate: /ət/ (often reduced to a schwa-like sound)
As a verb (to complete studies): /ˈɡrædʒ.u.eɪt/
grad: /ˈɡrædʒ/
u: /u/
ate: /eɪt/
Word Form Variations
Noun: graduate (singular), graduates (plural)
Verb: graduate (base form), graduates (third person singular present), graduated (past tense, past participle), graduating (present participle)
Adjective: graduate (as in "graduate student"), graduated (as in "graduated cylinder")
Adverb: (No direct adverb form)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Graduate
A person who has successfully completed a course of study at a school, college, or university and received a diploma or degree.
Synonyms: alumnus, alumna, degree holder, diplomate, recipient
Antonyms: dropout, undergraduate (student who hasn't graduated)
A measuring container, such as a cylinder or beaker, marked with divisions to indicate specific units of measurement.
Synonyms: beaker, cylinder, flask (when marked for measurement)
Antonyms: (no direct antonyms; refers to a type of vessel)
Verb
Graduate
To successfully complete a course of academic study and receive a degree or diploma.
Synonyms: complete, pass, qualify, earn a degree, finish
Antonyms: drop out, fail, discontinue, withdraw
To pass from one stage of experience, proficiency, or status to a usually higher one; to change gradually.
Synonyms: advance, progress, move on, proceed, transition, elevate
Antonyms: regress, revert, decline, demote
To mark (a scale, instrument, or container) with degrees or other divisions for measurement.
Synonyms: calibrate, mark, measure, divide
Antonyms: unmark, uncalibrate
Adjective
Graduate (used before a noun)
Relating to or engaged in academic study beyond the bachelor's or first degree level (e.g., in graduate school).
Synonyms: postgraduate, advanced, scholarly
Antonyms: undergraduate, preliminary, foundational
Graduated (as an adjective)
Marked with divisions indicating degrees or units of measurement.
Synonyms: calibrated, marked, measured, incremental
Antonyms: unmarked, uncalibrated
Arranged in grades, steps, or successive levels, often proportionally (e.g., a graduated tax system).
Synonyms: progressive, graded, stepped, tiered, sequential
Antonyms: uniform, flat, constant, undifferentiated
Examples of Use
Books
Academic Guides/College Handbooks: Many books offer advice to high school students on how to "graduate" and apply to colleges, or guides for college students preparing to "graduate." "Tips for a successful transition after you graduate" (Princeton Review, September 2023).
Fiction: Novels might feature characters attending a "graduate" ceremony or a character who is a "graduate student." "She was a bright graduate from Harvard Law School."
Science Textbooks: Chemistry labs often use "graduated cylinders" for precise measurements. Biology books discuss how organisms "graduate" to different stages of development.
Newspapers
News Articles: Newspapers widely report on university commencement ceremonies, highlighting students who are about to "graduate" or notable alumni who have "graduated." "Thousands of students set to graduate from local universities" (The Daily Herald, May 2025). Articles also cover policies like "graduated income tax."
Education Sections: These often feature profiles of successful "graduates" or discuss trends in higher education for "graduate programs."
Business Sections: Reports might discuss new company hires who are recent college "graduates."
Online Publications
University Websites: College and university websites prominently feature information for prospective students, current students, and alumni, often using terms like "graduate programs," "graduate admissions," or celebrating recent "graduates." "Apply now for our competitive graduate studies program."
Job Boards: Websites like LinkedIn or Indeed list job openings specifically for "recent graduates" or positions requiring a "graduate degree."
Social Media: Users share photos and videos from their "graduate" ceremonies, celebrate friends who "graduate," or post about their journey to "graduate school." "#ProudGraduate" is a common hashtag.
Educational Blogs: Many blogs offer advice on how to prepare for "graduate school" or how to navigate post-graduation life for "graduates."
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Movies/TV Shows: Commencement scenes are common in coming-of-age films. Characters might be referred to as a "graduate" of a prestigious academy. Shows might feature a character returning home after having "graduated."
Video Games: Some educational or simulation games might have a "graduation" event or a player might "graduate" to a higher rank or skill level.
Music: Songs often celebrate the milestone of "graduation" or reflect on the feelings associated with leaving school. "We're all here, so let's graduate!"
Podcasts: Career-focused podcasts often interview successful "graduates" about their professional journeys. Educational podcasts might discuss the benefits of pursuing a "graduate degree."
General Public Discourse
Conversations: In daily speech, people commonly ask, "When do you graduate?" or "Are you a college graduate?" "My daughter is a high school graduate this year."
Family Celebrations: Families hold parties to celebrate a loved one who is about to "graduate" or has recently "graduated."
Workplace: Companies hire "new graduates" and discuss pathways for employees to "graduate" to more senior roles.
Education System: Discussions about school systems often involve improving the success rate of students who graduate. "Our goal is to ensure every student can graduate."
10 Quotes Using Graduate
"To truly grow, one must graduate from the fear of failure to the courage of action."
"Every challenge overcome allows us to graduate to a new level of wisdom and resilience."
"The pursuit of knowledge is an endless journey; we simply graduate from one profound lesson to the next."
"Life's most profound insights are often learned long after we graduate from formal schooling."
"A wise soul continuously seeks to learn and graduate from outdated ways of thinking."
"He whose mind remains open will always graduate to greater understanding and empathy."
"We must collectively graduate from merely existing to truly living with purpose and passion."
"The greatest personal victory is to graduate from crippling self-doubt to unwavering self-belief."
"Sometimes, the hardest step is to graduate from clinging to what was, to embracing what is yet to be."
"Success is a continuous process; you never truly stop learning, you simply graduate to new challenges."
Etymology
The word "graduate" comes from the Latin word "gradus," which meant "step" or "degree." This Latin root is also found in words like "grade" or "gradation."
The first known use of "graduate" in English, with the meaning of "to pass from one stage or degree to another" or "to take a degree at a university," dates back to the late 14th century. It appeared in texts referring to advancing through levels or formally completing a course of study, directly reflecting its Latin origin of moving by "steps" or "degrees."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Graduate
Graduate with honors: To complete a degree program with distinguished academic achievement. "She worked hard to graduate with honors from university."
Graduate to: To move up to a higher or more advanced level of something. "He graduated to a more challenging role within the company."
Graduate school: A division of a university offering advanced degrees (Master's, Ph.D.). "After college, she plans to attend graduate school for her Ph.D."
Graduate student: A student who is pursuing studies beyond a bachelor's degree. "He's a graduate student researching astrophysics."
Graduate program: A course of study leading to a master's or doctoral degree. "The university offers a competitive graduate program in engineering."
Graduated cylinder: A common laboratory tool, a cylindrical container marked with a scale for measuring liquid volumes. "Scientists use a graduated cylinder for precise measurements."
Graduated income tax: A tax system where higher earners pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes. "Many countries employ a graduated income tax system."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of graduate from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
