1. to honor the memory of someone or something, especially with a ceremony or by creating a monument
2. to serve as a memorial to someone or something

Examples

• The statue commemorates the soldiers who died in the war.
• We gather every year to commemorate the founding of our school.
• A plaque commemorates the historic meeting that took place here.
• The museum was built to commemorate the civil rights movement.
• They held a special ceremony to commemorate her achievements.
• This monument commemorates all those who lost their lives in the disaster.
• The park commemorates the city’s 200th anniversary.