graduate
gb/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuɪt/ us/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuɪt/
B1
English
~ 2000
elvégez, lediplomázik, leérettségizik, diplomás, végzett diák, érettségizett, magasabb szintre lép, előlép, felkerül, okleveles
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to graduate from [school/university]
She will graduate from Harvard next year.
Jövőre diplomázik a Harvardon.
After four years, he finally graduated with a degree in engineering.
Négy év után végre mérnöki diplomát szerzett.
Many students graduate in the spring.
He graduated from high school at the age of 17.
They both graduated from the same university.
Learner examples
I will graduate next year.
Jövőre végzek az egyetemen.
She graduated from high school last summer.
Tavaly nyáron leérettségizett.
My brother will graduate in June.
He graduated from college in 2020.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'graduate school' when they mean 'finish school'; 'graduate school' actually means a type of advanced study after a first degree.
Meaning
Finish school or university
Collocations
graduate from college
|graduate from high school
|graduate with honors
|graduate in May
|graduate with a degree
Synonyms
finish (More general; can refer to any task or activity, not only education.)
|
complete (Neutral; applies to finishing something in general, including courses.)
Antonyms
drop out (Leaving a course of study before finishing it.)
Themes
education
|career
|daily life
Definition
To finish school, college, or university and get a certificate or degree.
To successfully complete the required studies at a school, college, or university and receive an official qualification.
NOUN
B1
2
The company is hiring recent graduates.
A cég friss diplomásokat vesz fel.
She is a graduate of Oxford University.
Az Oxfordi Egyetemen végzett.
Many graduates struggle to find jobs after college.
He is a law school graduate.
Graduates from this program are highly sought after.
Learner examples
I am a college graduate.
Diplomás vagyok.
She is a high school graduate.
Érettségizett.
He is a graduate of this university.
Many graduates look for jobs.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'graduate' (noun) with 'graduation' (noun for the event).
Meaning
Person who finished school or university
Collocations
college graduate
|high school graduate
|recent graduate
|law school graduate
Synonyms
alumnus (More formal; often used for someone who has graduated from a specific institution.)
|
degree holder (Emphasizes possession of the qualification rather than the act of graduating.)
Antonyms
student (Someone still studying and who has not yet graduated.)
Themes
education
|career
Definition
Someone who has finished school, college, or university and got a certificate or degree.
A person who has successfully completed a course of study at a school, college, or university and received an official qualification.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to graduate to [something]
After two years as an assistant, she graduated to manager.
Két év asszisztenskedés után vezetővé lépett elő.
The young player quickly graduated to the professional league.
A fiatal játékos gyorsan felkerült a profi ligába.
He started with basic tasks but soon graduated to more complex projects.
Learner examples
He graduated to team leader last year.
Tavaly csoportvezetővé lépett elő.
She graduated to the top class in tennis.
Teniszben felkerült a legfelső csoportba.
I hope to graduate to a better job soon.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use always refers to education; here it is metaphorical for advancement.
Meaning
Advance to higher status or skill
Collocations
graduate to management
|graduate to the next level
|graduate to advanced class
Synonyms
advance (General term for moving forward in status or level.)
|
progress (Neutral; emphasizes forward movement over time.)
Antonyms
regress (To move back to a lower level or worse state.)
Themes
career
|sports
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To move to a better job, higher level, or improved skill.
To progress to a more advanced level, role, or stage in a process, career, or skill development.
B1
4
She is a graduate nurse working at the hospital.
Diplomás ápolóként dolgozik a kórházban.
As a graduate engineer, he quickly found work.
Diplomás mérnökként gyorsan talált munkát.
Graduate students often work as teaching assistants.
Learner examples
She is a graduate nurse.
Ő diplomás ápoló.
He is a graduate engineer.
Ő diplomás mérnök.
Graduate students study hard.
Meaning
Having finished school or university
Collocations
graduate student
|graduate nurse
Synonyms
qualified (Emphasizes having met certain standards; not limited to education.)
Themes
education
Definition
Having finished school, college, or university and got a degree or certificate.
Describes someone who has successfully completed studies at a school, college, or university.
Grammar
Dictionary form
graduate
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuɪt/
US/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuɪt/
Syllables & stress
gradu - ate (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (gradu)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: graduate
- Plural: graduates
Verb
- Base: graduate
- 3rd Person Singular: graduates
- Present Participle: graduating
- Past: graduated
Word family
Forms
graduates
noun
graduating
verb
graduated
verb
Core family
graduation
noun B1
Related words
undergraduate
noun B1
postgraduate
noun B2
Expressions
graduate from
1/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuɪt fɹˈʌm/
fixed phrase
Finish studies at specific place
To finish school, college, or university and get your degree from that place.
Examples
- She will graduate from Yale next spring.
- He graduated from high school in 2010.
graduate into
1/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuɪt ˈɪntu/
fixed phrase
Move into higher stage after completion
To move into a new and better level, job, or situation after finishing something earlier.
Examples
- After training, he graduated into full-time work.
- The intern graduated into a managerial role.
graduate with honors
1/ɡɹˈæd͡ʒuˌeɪt wˈɪθ ˈɑnɚz/
fixed phrase
Finish studies with special recognition
To finish school or university with very high grades and get special praise or awards.
Examples
- She graduated with honors in biology.
- Only the top 10% of students graduate with honors.