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
The first home game is a rite of passage for Cleveland sports fans dating back to the late 1800s.
—Troy Smith, Axios, 8 Apr. 2025
The same could be said of The Wiggles—their music and performances have become a gleeful rite of passage, with no end in sight.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
Cutting down nets is a rite of passage for most UConn stars who suit up for coach Geno Auriemma, winner of (now) 12 national titles.
—Grace Raynor, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Getting your first silk hair bonnet was a rite of passage growing up.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rite of passage
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Troy Smith, Axios, 8 Apr. 2025
The same could be said of The Wiggles—their music and performances have become a gleeful rite of passage, with no end in sight.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
Cutting down nets is a rite of passage for most UConn stars who suit up for coach Geno Auriemma, winner of (now) 12 national titles.
—Grace Raynor, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Getting your first silk hair bonnet was a rite of passage growing up.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 5 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 2025.
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