epiphany
noun
\
Definition of epiphany
1 capitalized : January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ
2 : an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being
3a(1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something
(2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event) usually simple and striking
(3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure
b : a revealing scene or moment
Examples of epiphany in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For Balanchine, who was assigned to stage it, Stravinsky’s score was an epiphany. — Alastair Macaulay, New York Times, "Bringing It All Back Home: City Ballet Begins Again With Balanchine," 25 Jan. 2018 Though a staggering 25 songs long, Scorpion could be a mere prelude, a stopping point, before a greater epiphany. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Why Drake Can’t Pull Off Being the ‘Good Guy’," 5 July 2018 The 29-year-old researcher said his work was sparked by an epiphany in his life a few years ago. — Author: William Wan, Anchorage Daily News, "Rebel developers are trying to cure our smartphone addiction – with an app," 18 June 2018 The 29-year-old researcher said his work was sparked by an epiphany in his life a few years ago. — Author: William Wan, Anchorage Daily News, "Rebel developers are trying to cure our smartphone addiction – with an app," 18 June 2018 Sometimes, at the very least, epiphanies are cheap. — Laura Jean Baker, chicagotribune.com, "When a 'natural' mother considers plastic surgery," 29 Apr. 2018 The 29-year-old researcher said his work was sparked by an epiphany in his life a few years ago. — Author: William Wan, Anchorage Daily News, "Rebel developers are trying to cure our smartphone addiction – with an app," 18 June 2018 Breaks in the line can signify mental strife, or more optimistically, monumental breakthroughs or epiphanies. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "A Beginner's Guide to Reading Palms," 4 June 2018 Like a modern-day Prometheus, Maslow stole epiphany from the gods and gave it to mortals. — David G. Allan, CNN, "Peak experiences, perfect moments and the extra-ordinary," 3 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'epiphany.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Learn More about epiphany
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
The Good, The Bad, & The...
The Good, The Bad, & The Semantically Imprecise - 8/10/2018
The words that defined the week of August 10th, 2018
Trending: Epiphany
Trending: Epiphany
January 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany
Ten More Ways to Improve a Conversation
Ten More Ways to Improve a Conversation
Simple But Intelligent Word Choices, Vol. 2
Dictionary Entries near epiphany
Statistics for epiphany
Last Updated
21 Nov 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for epiphany
The first known use of epiphany was in the 14th century
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for epiphany
epiphany
noun
English Language Learners Definition of epiphany
Epiphany : a Christian festival held on January 6 in honor of the coming of the three kings to the infant Jesus Christ
: a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way
See the full definition for epiphany in the English Language Learners Dictionary
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on epiphany
What made you want to look up epiphany? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Late Autumn 2018 Words of the Day Quiz
-
- Which is a synonym of yahoo?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share epiphany
Resources for epiphany