history

noun

ˈhi-st(ə-)rē How to pronounce history (audio)
Definition of historynext
1
as in annals
an account of important events in the order in which they happened a history of the American civil rights movement during the 1960s

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in chronology
a relating of events usually in the order in which they happened we heard the whole history of her illness in excruciating detail

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in past
the events or experience of former times history has many lessons to teach us, if only we would listen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of history Guest floors are color coded, and the hallways include leaning columns that display the building’s architectural history. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2026 With no history of arrests, Mohassib’s criminal background check may have come back clean. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 14 Nov. 2026 The Princess of Wales and the actor lit up the White House ballroom in 1985, creating one of the most unforgettable moments in royal and Hollywood history. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 14 Nov. 2026 His 230 receiving yards are the fifth-most in a game in Boise State history. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for history
Recent Examples of Synonyms for history
  1. record
  2. chronology
  3. past
  4. story
  5. commentary
  6. account
  7. report
  8. chronicle
Noun
  • But compared to the majority of her work, which sprawls on the scale of landscapes, the compositions on this new record play out as finely filigreed miniatures.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
  • In his comeback bid, Brown is trying to chart his own course and steer clear of national politics, emphasizing his record of taking on corporate interests.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of record
Noun
  • Alleged abuse of child in Belleville The Wendt Law Firm, which is representing the plaintiff, said in a statement that the chronology is a central part of the case.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Continuing the chronology of Journe’s early years, is a prototype Octa Reserve de Marche, the third model introduced by the watchmaker.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of chronology
Noun
  • Being expansive and futuristic isn’t (just) about synths or drum programming, but about thematically linking our past to our present, as Elucid and woods do throughout Snakes & Ladders.
    — Andre Gee, Pitchfork, 13 Nov. 2026
  • By comparison to past Barney pieces, that work is modest, lasting only an hour.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of past
Noun
  • The Observer requested those findings, but the district did not provide them in response to questions for this story.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The Sentinel has also had to enlist lawyers to fend off threats from state officials who tried to stop us from publishing stories twice in just the last 18 months.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • There’s nostalgia and old world values as well as breaks from conventional and subtle sociopolitical commentary.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
  • In 1967, the painting was radically feminist, an elegant and cutting commentary.
    — Merritt Tierce, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of commentary
Noun
  • The questions about the papers were so significant that SSRN, the platform Polson used to share the research papers, took down the articles over the past month and froze the accounts used to post the works.
    — TODD WALLACK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The closure comes amid allegations from former employees who say they were left with unpaid wages, bounced paychecks and missing contributions to their retirement accounts.
    — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of account
Noun
  • At least six fatal crashes resulting in nine deaths, along with multiple multi-injury collisions, have occurred on the stretch between Downtown and Gregory Boulevard over the last three years, according to media and local police reports.
    — Mará Rose Williams November 14, Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2026
  • The 147-page report — obtained by the Miami Herald from Sweetwater police — is heavily redacted but provides new details about the investigation that led to the arrests of Pinder, 29, Jared Lamar James, 26, and Elijah Delano Dyous, 29.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026
Definition of report
Noun
  • The way this documentary chronicles the history of crime and punishment in America is stunning.
    — Ken Makin, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The movie chronicles the famed photographer’s life and 60-year career shooting not just icons of the fashion and film worlds but also mental institutions, the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.
    — Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of chronicle

Browse Nearby Words

histories
history
histrionic
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Cite this Entry

“History.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/history. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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