historic
adjective
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historic or historical?
Do you experience a slight pause before using either of these words as you try to remember which one is correct and whether it should be preceded by an or a? If so, you’re not alone, for many people find this pair particularly tricky. Historic and historical are both occasionally found preceded by an, since the initial h in each word was formerly left unpronounced. Now this h is heard, and a is far more common than an (by a ratio of about 4 to 1 in American English).
Historic and historical have been used interchangeably by many writers, even in recent years. If you would like to avoid being corrected, however, use historical for matters relating to history (the historical society), and historic to refer to things having great and lasting importance (a historic occasion).
Examples of historic in a Sentence
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
That result, coupled with gains earlier this year, as well as historic trends, points to them enjoying wider success in the 2026 midterm elections.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
Just after midnight, Zohran Kwame Mamdani was sworn in as New York City's first Muslim mayor in a modest ceremony held in a historic subway station under City Hall.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 1 Jan. 2026
Last year saw the historic election of Takaichi, and a rise in female lawmakers to 73.
—Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for historic
Cite this Entry
“Historic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historic. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.
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historic
adjective
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