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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 Scarborough, who heads the journalism department at East Tennessee State University, said the documentary was a love letter to the organization and to the many LGBTQ+ journalists who have shaped history. — Kat Tran, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026 The history of the role in the People’s Republic of China is complicated. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026 These excursions enriched my experience, reminding me that Mérida is also deeply rooted in history. — Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026 A day after Feldstein’s arrest, Urich deleted his phone’s text history. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 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
  • Their pristine state has preserved a chemical record largely untouched by melting or extreme heat.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
  • East of this zone, the extra warmth is nearing 4 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record event in 1997 by half a degree.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of record
Noun
  • The Lucas Museum pushes that approach further by making storytelling — not chronology, geography or medium — the organizing principle for an entire institution, placing illustration, comics and commercial art inside a curatorial framework.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • One of the best actors working today, Coon essentially plays two different sides of Rita with astonishing range across these chronologies, portraying the past and the present of her character through distinctive markers.
    — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of chronology
Noun
  • But in order to survive the woods, Murphy will have to dig deep into his wartime past and rely on his own skills and smarts to make out it out intact.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The rapidly approaching future and vanishing past are all around her, which Horgan embodies beautifully in a brief but wrenching scene when Ruari first leaves for school.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of past
Noun
  • Whether Arnault can leverage his track record across multiple international brands to help reverse Nike's fortunes while cementing his position within the Arnault family's succession landscape remains a story that will unfold soon.
    — , CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Bible readers may wonder how this fit with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac at God’s command, and philosophers have occasionally tried to reconcile the two stories with textual twists.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • Postmortem commentaries on the campaign agreed that many factors were at play in Sinclair’s loss — FDR had kept his distance and progressive candidate Raymond Haight siphoned off votes from Sinclair — but Hollywood proudly took credit.
    — Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Two years ago, Shen Anyu, a voice actor who earns a living from narrating news commentaries and other short programs, began noticing an alarming number of videos on social-media platforms that seemed to feature his voice without his permission.
    — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of commentary
Noun
  • If the other jurors’ account of the holdout is accurate, the episode illustrates the other side of jury nullification, a familiar feature of American criminal justice.
    — Monu Bedi, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • First, the establishment of a local company and team, then launching official social media accounts, building connections through community events, opening e-commerce channels and ultimately expanding into physical retail.
    — Advertorial, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of account
Noun
  • Russia's permanent diplomatic mission in Geneva declined to comment on the report.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • There were mixed weather reports in the middle of the week, with some predicting rain for Friday night.
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of report
Noun
  • Julia Loktev’s continuing chronicle of a group of independent Russian journalists working for the now-rogue news channel TV Rain closes an important emotional loop with its second part, which is even longer than the five-plus-hour first part.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The film picks up in 1940 after France’s defeat by the Nazis and chronicles de Gaulle’s efforts to show the Allies that France was still worth fighting for.
    — Kate McKenna, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 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 22 Sep. 2026.

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