decennial
adjective
de·cen·ni·al
di-ˈse-nē-əl 
1
: consisting of or lasting for 10 years
2
: occurring or being done every 10 years
the decennial census
decennial
noun
Examples of decennial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the high court itself has yet to rule on a challenge to Louisiana's voting map, which was drawn by the state legislature after the decennial census in order to create a second majority-Black district.
—
Zoe Sobel, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
States typically draw new maps only after each decennial census, and Trump’s pressure to break that precedent was a sign of his concern about potential GOP losses in the 2026 midterms.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Normally, boundaries are redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes uncovered in the decennial census.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Ned Davis Research keeps a cycle composite for the S & P 500, which blends the one-year seasonal template, the four-year electoral cadence and the decennial pattern (years ending in 6, for instance).
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decennial
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.
Zoe Sobel, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
States typically draw new maps only after each decennial census, and Trump’s pressure to break that precedent was a sign of his concern about potential GOP losses in the 2026 midterms.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026
Normally, boundaries are redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes uncovered in the decennial census.
—Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Ned Davis Research keeps a cycle composite for the S & P 500, which blends the one-year seasonal template, the four-year electoral cadence and the decennial pattern (years ending in 6, for instance).
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decennial
Cite this Entry
“Decennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decennial. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decennial
adjective
de·cen·ni·al
di-ˈsen-ē-əl
1
: consisting of 10 years
2
: happening every 10 years
decennial census
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
