Ushered

Ushered is the past tense and past participle of the verb usher. It means to guide, escort, or lead someone somewhere, or to bring about or mark the start of something. The word originates from the noun usher, a person who shows others to their seats or into a building; as a verb, ushered often takes a direct object or a prepositional phrase such as into, to, or through.

In literal use, you might say: "The doorman ushered the guests into the ballroom." The crowd was ushered to their seats; the safety team ushered attendees through the exit.

In figurative use, "usher in" means to introduce or herald a new period or event: "The victory ushered in a new era of stability." The same phrasal verb can appear in various tenses: "The policy will usher in reforms" or "The decision ushered in widespread changes."

The noun form "usher" refers to a person who directs attendees at events, such as theaters or churches. Ushered is strictly a verb form and is typically used transitively to indicate guiding someone or something, or in passive constructions: "The guests were ushered inside." The term is neutral and common in formal writing, journalism, and everyday speech.