historical
adjective
Did you know?
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 historical in a Sentence
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 5 June 2026
The national economy is heavily reliant on the price of gold and copper, both of which are close to historical peaks.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
In addition to its historical and creative significance in the city, the hotel was ripe for the pair to explore the idea of a domestic space that’s transient, and ephemeral, in nature.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 4 June 2026
Dangerous heat and limited cooling Out of the 104 games, 67 of them are being held at locations and times that come with potential danger for heat illnesses, with 39 of those at high risk, according to their historical wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT).
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for historical
Cite this Entry
“Historical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historical. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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historical
adjective
