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 The Cane Ridge Revival would become an epochal moment in American religious history, one of the most visible manifestations of what historians would later refer to as the Second Great Awakening. — Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026 But the possibility of an epochal discovery that radically changes our understanding of the universe’s history and solves one of the greatest mysteries in modern astrophysics is too alluring to ignore. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 4 June 2026 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 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
  • Tuesday is a momentous day for fans of the New York Knicks, as the 2025-26 NBA championship banner will finally be raised at Madison Square Garden — a moment longtime fans have been awaiting for for 53 years.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • To have measles spreading so aggressively again now, a quarter century after this momentous occasion, is not some unfortunate but unavoidable expression of nature, like an earthquake.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 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
  • That process included the NFL's chief medical doctor having Hurts seen at the Cleveland Clinic in London on that fateful Saturday before the game against Jacksonville.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After an eventful night at the fair – 11-year-old Alistair Lehto grew a giant that hit 1,815 pounds, earning him $500 and the title of Youth Grower of the Year – the fateful time finally arrives.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 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
  • Argyle entered a district game against Colleyville Heritage without a crucial starter.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Built over 22 years The green light follows a crucial safety assessment issued on 4 August 2026 by Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK).
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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