observe vs commemorate

observe and commemorate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
observe	No	No	Yes	No
commemorate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, commemorate is a hyponym of observe; that is, commemorate is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than observe:

Other hyponyms of observe include mark, mourn, solemnise, solemnize.

observe (verb)	commemorate (verb)
stick to correctly or closely	call to remembrance; keep alive the memory of someone or something, as in a ceremony
make mention of	be or provide a memorial to a person or an event
watch attentively	celebrate by some ceremony or observation
observe with care or pay close attention to
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of by perception with the eyes
follow with the eyes or the mind
show respect towards
behave as expected during of holidays or rites
conform one's action or practice to