momentous
adjective
mo·men·tous
mō-ˈmen-təs 
mə-
: having great or lasting importance : consequential, significant
a momentous decision
a momentous event/occasion
The Senate begins a momentous debate on health care today …—
The New York Times
The New York TimesDeydey usually talked about his travels, the places he'd seen and the people, the close calls and momentous encounters with animals, weather, other Anishinabeg, and best of all, ghosts.—Louise Erdrich
Louise ErdrichThe late nineteenth century was strewn with inventions. Many were momentous, but few affected men and women more closely than the bicycle and its motorized offspring: motorcycle, motor-car and aeroplane.—Eugen Weber
Eugen Weber
momentously
adverb
a momentously important decision
… a … twist that is executed differently from the comic book story, but is just as dramatically and momentously presented.
—The Philippines Daily Inquirer
The Philippines Daily Inquirer
momentousness
noun
But other East Europeans had little time to marvel at the momentousness of the moment. Just one day after the fall of the [Berlin] Wall, Bulgaria's dour leader of 35 years, Todor Zhivkov, was ousted.
—Stephen E. Deane
Stephen E. Deane
Examples of momentous in a Sentence
My college graduation was a momentous day in my life.
a momentous occasion that will go down in the history books
Recent Examples on the Web
Two women talk for the best part of three-and-a-quarter-hours and Ryusuke Hamaguchi makes of it an unassumingly momentous miracle.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 15 May 2026
The momentous occasion made that year’s awards historic.
—Lily Moayeri, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Over a month’s worth of action, culminating in a momentous finale in New Jersey.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Currently, the 29-year-old Young is the FedEx Cup points leader off two 2026 wins — a momentous Players Championship statement in March and a Cadillac Championship title earlier this month.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for momentous
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.
Jessica Kiang, Variety, 15 May 2026
The momentous occasion made that year’s awards historic.
—Lily Moayeri, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Over a month’s worth of action, culminating in a momentous finale in New Jersey.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Currently, the 29-year-old Young is the FedEx Cup points leader off two 2026 wins — a momentous Players Championship statement in March and a Cadillac Championship title earlier this month.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for momentous
Cite this Entry
“Momentous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/momentous. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
momentous
adjective
mo·men·tous
mō-ˈment-əs
: very important
a momentous decision
momentously
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
