chronology
noun
chro·nol·o·gy
krə-ˈnä-lə-jē 
plural chronologies
1
: the science that deals with measuring time by regular divisions and that assigns to events their proper dates
2
: a chronological table, list, or account
a chronology of the author's works
3
: an arrangement (as of events) in order of occurrence
reconstruct the chronology of the trip
The book provides a chronology of events leading up to the American Civil War.
Did you know?
History is much more than a simple chronology of events, but keeping events in chronological order is the first essential step in thinking about it. When, for example, historians try to show how World War I prepared the way for World War II, tracking the chronology of the events in the years between the two wars can help in explaining a complicated historical era.
Synonyms of chronology
Examples of chronology in a Sentence
We tried to reconstruct the chronology of the accident.
The book provides a chronology of the events leading up to the American Civil War.
Recent Examples on the Web
The $720-million structure will serve as the new home for LACMA’s permanent collection with 90 exhibition galleries organized thematically rather than by medium or chronology.
—
Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
The musical, which examines in jumbled chronology the five-year relationship between novelist Jamie and actress Cathy, debuted in Chicago in 2001 and opened Off Broadway the following year.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Plaintiff attorneys have built similar tools capable of producing polished demand letters, medical chronologies, and settlement ranges using massive legal datasets.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
The events that Herbert films are undated; the movie only hints at chronology, and its dramatic arc is a surprising one, revealing a change of consciousness by way of changes of circumstance.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chronology
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Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
The musical, which examines in jumbled chronology the five-year relationship between novelist Jamie and actress Cathy, debuted in Chicago in 2001 and opened Off Broadway the following year.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Plaintiff attorneys have built similar tools capable of producing polished demand letters, medical chronologies, and settlement ranges using massive legal datasets.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
The events that Herbert films are undated; the movie only hints at chronology, and its dramatic arc is a surprising one, revealing a change of consciousness by way of changes of circumstance.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chronology
Cite this Entry
“Chronology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronology. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chronology
noun
chro·nol·o·gy
krə-ˈnäl-ə-jē
plural chronologies
1
: the science that deals with measuring time and dating events
2
: a chronological table or list
chronologist
noun
-jəst
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