as in day
an extent of time associated with a particular person or thing the introduction of the mass production of cars on an assembly line ushered in the era of the automobile

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun era differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of era are age, epoch, and period. While all these words mean "a division of time," era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

When might age be a better fit than era?

While in some cases nearly identical to era, age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

Where would epoch be a reasonable alternative to era?

While the synonyms epoch and era are close in meaning, epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events.

the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry

When would period be a good substitute for era?

In some situations, the words period and era are roughly equivalent. However, period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of era Oh, and the Dolphins, who are 4-16 against playoff teams in the Tua-coach Mike McDaniel era, must beat good teams. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025 Best company-wide commitment to diversity: Delta Air Lines In the second Trump era, during which some companies have quietly retreated from diversity initiatives in the face of political pressure, Delta has stood firm in its commitments. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025 Tkachuk became the second player over the past 33 years and sixth in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1968) to lead a repeat Stanley Cup champion in points during each playoff run (outright or tied). Michael Russo, New York Times, 18 June 2025 The era when competition was based solely on producing the highest volumes at the lowest cost is long gone. Martina Kuhlmeyer, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for era
Recent Examples of Synonyms for era
Noun
  • First discovered: 13 days ago, 11:50 p.m. June 17 Initial location: San Bernardino County, Calif. Fire type: Wildfire Fire name: Applewhite A new wildfire was reported 11:50 p.m. June 17 in San Bernardino County, California.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
  • After Musk has railed against Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill in recent days, as GOP leaders struggle to get it across the finish line, the president took the opportunity to lash out at him.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • While frogs and turtles are still around today, pterosaurs dominated the skies until the asteroid impact 66 million years ago that ended the age of dinosaurs, Reuters reported.
    Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 10 July 2025
  • Prepared Food Photos understands that an image’s uniqueness is its currency in the digital age.
    Jon Stojan, Freep.com, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • The move also paves the way for rookie Marcelo Mayer to remain in the majors and assume the bulk of the playing time at second base.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 11 July 2025
  • This past season, Thrun, a Harvard alum, appeared in 60 games, had 12 points, and averaged 17:31 of ice time.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Over that same period, the state has invested in new transportation and development projects, like the WALK rail bridge spanning the Norwalk River, and the Connecticut River bridge connecting Old Saybrook and Old Lyme.
    Janhavi Munde, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2025
  • In the first quarter of 2014, Motorola sold 900,000 Moto X handsets worldwide compared to Apple selling 26 million of its new iPhone 5s during the same period, according to Strategy Analytics.
    Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • The Plio-Pleistocene transition marked the passage from the wetter and more humid Pliocene epoch (5.3 million years to 2.6 million years ago) to the colder and drier Pleistocene epoch (2.6 million years to 11,700 years ago).
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 23 June 2025
  • For all that this season marks a new epoch in the tale of booming UEFA prize money, cash will be far from the thoughts of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday evening in Munich.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 31 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Era.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/era. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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