rite of passage
noun
plural rites of passage
: a ritual, event, or experience that marks or constitutes a major milestone or change in a person's life
Rites of passage celebrate the social movement of individuals into and out of groups or into or out of statuses of critical importance to the individual and to the community. Reproduction, the achievement of manhood and womanhood, marriage, and death are the principal worldwide occasions for rites of passage.—
Marvin Harris
Marvin HarrisFor them the two years of missionary work, with the rigorous bootcamp-style training preceding it, is a rite of passage between graduation and marriage, adolescence and adult life.—Malise Ruthven
Malise RuthvenToday, when each year American society becomes more complex, a veritable tapestry of nationalities, the strongest of our common threads may well be the rites of passage all immigrants face.—Harold Holzer
Harold HolzerThe author, grandson of the poet Allen Tate, dropped out of Sewanee University after going through the by-now familiar 1960's rite of passage of drugs, sex, and antiwar demonstrations …—Caroline Seebohm
compare initiation rite
Caroline SeebohmExamples of rite of passage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Of all the bucket list eats in Dolly Parton’s Pigeon Forge resort, cinnamon bread is a rite of passage.
—Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025
Every actor plants their roots somewhere, from commercials and music videos to community theater and the inevitable rite of passage: Law & Order.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025
For many teens and tweens, social media can be an exciting rite of passage—an opportunity to connect with friends or express themselves in creative ways.
—Ella Cerón, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025
The anime and movie are something of a rite of passage for most new anime fans outside of Japan, and that’s pretty much the point here.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rite of passage
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Deanne Revel, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025
Every actor plants their roots somewhere, from commercials and music videos to community theater and the inevitable rite of passage: Law & Order.
—Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2025
For many teens and tweens, social media can be an exciting rite of passage—an opportunity to connect with friends or express themselves in creative ways.
—Ella Cerón, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025
The anime and movie are something of a rite of passage for most new anime fans outside of Japan, and that’s pretty much the point here.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rite of passage
Cite this Entry
“Rite of passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rite%20of%20passage. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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