antebellum

adjective

an·​te·​bel·​lum ˌan-ti-ˈbe-ləm How to pronounce antebellum (audio)
: existing before a war
especially : existing before the American Civil War
antebellum houses
the antebellum South

Examples of antebellum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Photos published by local outlet WVUE showed the home, which dates back to the antebellum South and was once home to enslaved Americans, ruined by the fire that sparked on May 15. Melina Khan, USA Today, 16 May 2025 Since the day of the explosion, neighbors surrounding the area, which is part of the town’s antebellum historic district, have been angry. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2025 To learn more about Apalachicola during antebellum times, stop into the free Raney House Museum, run by the Apalachicola Area Historical Society. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025 Travis and Maria Summers had been smelling the faint and sickly sweet odor of gas around their antebellum home in Lexington, Missouri, for hours on Wednesday afternoon when, around 7:30 p.m., Maria fell asleep in the living room while Travis watched TV. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for antebellum

Word History

Etymology

Latin ante bellum before the war

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of antebellum was in 1826

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Cite this Entry

“Antebellum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antebellum. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

antebellum

adjective
an·​te·​bel·​lum ˌant-i-ˈbel-əm How to pronounce antebellum (audio)
: existing before a war
especially : existing before the American Civil War

More from Merriam-Webster on antebellum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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