epochal

adjective

Definition of epochalnext
as in momentous

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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 epochal Its demographics have also undergone an epochal shift. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026 These are huge, epochal changes for older Americans that have happened in just the past 15 years. — Ken Stern, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026 In a city willing to displace a community garden or a newsstand to claw back a few extra feet, the Armory’s yawning, epochal emptiness seems like poking through your medicine cabinet and finding an alternate universe behind it. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 Feb. 2026 The whip-smart, late-20th-century retelling of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is one of the most epochal teen rom-coms. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for epochal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epochal
  1. momentous
  2. earthshaking
  3. fateful
  4. life-and-death
  5. crucial
Adjective
  • There, it is made plain that the Atlas marked a momentous shift in the epistemology of the search, one that might already be termed algorithmic.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Yes, Zodiac is a momentous movie, a masterpiece, and Unabomber is not.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of momentous
Adjective
  • This call, the last time the founders would address their company, was an earthshaking moment for a workplace whose leaders inspired so much loyalty that several employees shared matching tattoos with Olguin.
    — Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 19 July 2023
  • It also should be said that the $85 million value of the missing parts matches the price to procure one F-35A fighter—obviously an important sum, but not an earthshaking loss.
    — Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 8 June 2023
Definition of earthshaking
Adjective
  • And that merely seven months before a fateful presidential election which has the far right leading polls.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
  • But his voice tyrannically resounds with sadistic orders and conservative cultural commentary during the second-act flashback scene, in which a fateful day on the set of the show changes the lives of Ronika and Blair.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of fateful
Adjective
  • But in the meantime, before all these cosmic, life-and-death questions can be answered, this episode of Lanterns makes for a meaningful memorial to a deeply imperfect hero.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Decisions about traffic signals, speed limits and congestion solutions often come with life-and-death implications.
    — Bryan Mistele, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of life-and-death
Adjective
  • That was crucial, as cockpit doors are typically locked to prevent hijackings.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Berkshire Hathaway held a major GM stake when Barra became CEO, and Buffett delivered a crucial vote of confidence in her leadership amid the 2014 recall crisis.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of crucial

Browse Nearby Words

epoch
epochal
epochs
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Cite this Entry

“Epochal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epochal. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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