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
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025
The last time Border Patrol averaged fewer than 9,000 monthly apprehensions along the southern border over a year was in the late 1960s, according to historical agency figures.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 1 May 2025
Stringfield’s honor comes at a time when Black historical figures are being removed from government websites and the way Black history is taught is policed statewide and nationally, and as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are being rolled back by national corporations.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 1 May 2025
The reservoir water levels during this time reflect this, with nearly all of the state's major reservoirs experiencing levels that were below the historical average.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for historical
Cite this Entry
“Historical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historical. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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historical
adjective
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