as in day
an extent of time associated with a particular person or thing the introduction of the mass production of cars on an assembly line ushered in the era of the automobile

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun era differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of era are age, epoch, and period. While all these words mean "a division of time," era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

When might age be a better fit than era?

While in some cases nearly identical to era, age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

Where would epoch be a reasonable alternative to era?

While the synonyms epoch and era are close in meaning, epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events.

the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry

When would period be a good substitute for era?

In some situations, the words period and era are roughly equivalent. However, period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

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 era But at least Trump’s executive order is closing the chapter on that era. Stacy Washington, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 June 2025 Ultimately, the countries that win the new industrial era won’t be the ones with the loudest rhetoric. Michael Sheldrick, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025 Mike Noyes of Granby, a high-IQ walk-on who eventually earned a scholarship during the Kevin Ollie era, is an assistant coach/director of player development. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2025 The Department of Energy was born out of a fear in the 1970s that America was entering an era of energy scarcity and that government action was necessary to mitigate that risk. Jack Spencer, Boston Herald, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for era
Recent Examples of Synonyms for era
Noun
  • As police struggled with another day of unrest in downtown L.A., several Waymo autonomous taxis were set on fire, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing high into the air.
    Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • Back in present day, each of their children lay their flower beside candles and a memorial photo as a sign of their eternal love.
    Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Twelve people ages 52 to 88 suffered burns ranging from serious to minor, police said.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • Corn, 55, is smack in the middle of that 52-57 age bracket when women experience precipitous bone density loss but received her diagnosis at 40.
    Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • It has been ported to several consoles and has sold more than 23 million copies globally in the time since.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 4 June 2025
  • Additionally, Shimamura says that the Japanese film industry is too focused on the domestic box office at times, when there is huge growth potential for some of Japan’s IP to bring in profits from overseas.
    Sara Merican, Deadline, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Act that provided $80 billion to the IRS over 10 years — over a 10-year period.
    Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Unlike many period drama estates, Inveraray is open to the public, allowing visitors to step inside a genuine Scottish stronghold steeped in centuries of clan history.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • But dire wolves were real creatures that once roamed across North and South America during the Pleistocene epoch, standing taller than modern gray wolves with more robust builds and greater jaw strength, perfectly evolved to hunt the megafauna of the Ice Age.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 24 May 2025
  • This was a disastrous night for the Wizards, in an epoch of seemingly never-ending disasters — some man-made (see Webber to Kings, above), others a matter of bad luck.
    David Aldridge, New York Times, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Era.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/era. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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