- [countable] a public or religious occasion that includes a series of formal or traditional actions
- More than 1 000 people attended the ceremony.
- an awards/opening ceremony
- a wedding/marriage/graduation ceremony
- a religious/civil ceremony
- The priest had travelled from Australia to perform the ceremony.
- at a ceremony She was last seen in public at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games
- Who officiated at the ceremony?
- in a ceremony They were married in a simple ceremony.
- ceremony for somebody/something The villagers held a memorial ceremony for those who lost their lives in the war.
- ceremony to do something There will be a special ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the battle.
Collocations Marriage and divorceMarriage and divorceRomance- fall/be (madly/deeply/hopelessly) in love (with somebody)
- be/believe in/fall in love at first sight
- be/find true love/the love of your life
- suffer (from) (the pains/pangs of) unrequited love
- have/feel/show/express great/deep/genuine affection for somebody/something
- meet/marry your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
- have/go on a (blind) date
- be going out with/(especially North American English) dating a guy/girl/boy/man/woman
- move in with/live with your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner
- get/be engaged/married/divorced
- arrange/plan a wedding
- have a big wedding/a honeymoon/a happy marriage
- have/enter into an arranged marriage
- call off/cancel/postpone your wedding
- invite somebody to/go to/attend a wedding/a wedding ceremony/a wedding reception
- conduct/perform a wedding ceremony
- exchange rings/wedding vows/marriage vows
- congratulate/toast/raise a glass to the happy couple
- be/go on honeymoon (with your wife/husband)
- celebrate your first (wedding) anniversary
- be unfaithful to/(informal) cheat on your husband/wife/partner/fiancé/fiancée/boyfriend/girlfriend
- have an affair (with somebody)
- break off/end an engagement/a relationship
- break up with/split up with/ (informal) dump your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner
- separate from/be separated from/leave/divorce your husband/wife/partner
- annul/dissolve a marriage
- apply for/ask for/go through/get a divorce
- get/gain/be awarded/have/lose custody of the children
- pay alimony/child support (to your ex-wife/husband/partner)
Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsb1, Life stagesb1- Many dignitaries were present at the ceremony.
- The marriage ceremony was performed by the bishop.
- a same-sex commitment ceremony
- a special ceremony to mark the end of the war
- an official ceremony to welcome the new director
- the Japanese tea ceremony
- the guest of honour at the ceremony
- the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- short
- quiet
- …
- conduct
- officiate
- officiate at
- …
- take place
- commemorate something
- honour/honor somebody/something
- …
- at a/the ceremony
- during a/the ceremony
- in a/the ceremony
- …
- [uncountable] formal behaviour; traditional actions and words used on particular formal occasions
- The royal guests were welcomed with pomp and ceremony.
Extra Examples- She was buried with great ceremony in the Abbey.
- With due ceremony, he took the oath to become president.
- the pomp and ceremony of a royal wedding
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + ceremony- stand on
- without ceremony
- pomp and ceremony
- with great ceremony
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French ceremonie or Latin caerimonia ‘religious worship’, (plural) ‘ritual observances’.
Idioms
See ceremony in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee ceremony in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishstand on ceremony
- to behave formally
- Please don't stand on ceremony (= Please be natural and relaxed) with me.
- I won't stand on ceremony.
without ceremony
- in a very rough or informal way
- He found himself pushed without ceremony out of the house and the door slammed in his face.
Extra Examples- It was done quickly and without ceremony.
- Without ceremony, the woman slammed the door shut in my face.
Check pronunciation:
ceremony