historical

adjective

hi-ˈstȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce historical (audio)
Definition of historicalnext
as in factual
restricted to or based on fact a historical novel that tells the story of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps through the eyes of a young boy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 historical The next Congress will face great pressure to reverse course and in doing so could shore up the historical norms of American civil-military relations. — Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026 Following the historical drama, Marvelous Productions and Kapa Studios are developing plans to work together on a series, with additional film and television projects potentially to follow. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026 Understanding what makes Ocarina a masterpiece in the first place requires some historical context. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026 Nearly 30% of incoming S&P 500 CEOs over the past year had already been a chief executive, double the historical average, according to data from Russell Reynolds. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for historical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for historical
  1. factual
  2. literal
  3. documentary
  4. true
  5. nonfictional
Adjective
  • The findings could give lawmakers a factual basis to demand answers and intensify scrutiny of whether the administration misled the court.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Lower costs and safety measures Tencent has also worked to reduce factual errors when Hy4 retrieves information.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of factual
Adjective
  • The color of the ocean is a literal reflection of what’s in it — from microscopic plant-like organisms called phytoplankton to marine debris.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
  • This giant stardust cloud acted like a literal screen, blocking a substantial portion of the star's light from our viewpoint.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of literal
Adjective
  • Scalia spoke for a 7-2 majority that rejected an Arizona law that required voters to show documentary proof of their citizenship when registering to vote.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • There was limited documentary evidence of Diamantis’ attempt to extort payoffs from Roy and CAP, the prosecutors said, and without her cooperation and testimony, conviction on those counts would have been difficult.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of documentary
Adjective
  • The backstory Kromo is the first hotel in Thailand under the Curio Collection by Hilton, a brand known for its independent boutique hotels that stay true to their local identity.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Gentile’s feature directorial debut, American Murderer, was a true-crime thriller starring Tom Pelphrey, Ryan Phillippe, Idina Menzel, and Jacki Weaver.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of true
Adjective
  • In Aaron Sorkin’s new thriller, the fictional Haugen — who, like her nonfictional counterpart, leaks thousands of documents to Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz — habitually dons the accessories.
    — Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In a world where true-crime shows of both the fictional and nonfictional variety run rampant on our screens, that’s probably not a bad corporate strategy.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonfictional

Browse Nearby Words

historic
historical
histories
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Cite this Entry

“Historical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/historical. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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