To induct means to formally admit someone into an organization, position, or group, often with a ceremony that marks the occasion. When students are inducted into the National Honor Society, they participate in a special ceremony recognizing their achievements. When a famous baseball player is inducted into the Hall of Fame, it celebrates their outstanding career with speeches and awards.

The word suggests a significant milestone involving a ritual or official process that makes the moment memorable. Induction usually involves some kind of ceremony that honors the achievement. The military inducts new recruits with swearing-in ceremonies. Professional organizations induct new members after they've proven themselves worthy.

The related noun is induction: the ceremony itself or the process of being brought in. An inductee is someone being inducted. When you see groups holding induction ceremonies, they're publicly honoring people who've earned their place and welcoming them into something meaningful through formal recognition. The formality of induction shows that membership matters and that the person being inducted has achieved something worth celebrating.