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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 Billy Ray Cyrus is sharing a personal piece of his history with Dolly Parton for the first time. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 Audiences didn't just dislike it – it was voted the worst episode in the franchise's history. — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 26 Sep. 2026 Investigators are trying to determine whether Barker has a history of similar conduct. — Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026 Small-scale wins that pale in comparison to the film’s place in cinematic history. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 26 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
  • In years past, department statistics showed at least a third of all police shootings involved someone with obvious signs of emotional distress.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The evening was a fitting toast to the shoe maestro, who celebrated his past, present and future alongside an adoring Milan Fashion Week crowd and influential actresses and models, including Naomi Watts.
    — Katie Abel, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of past
Noun
  • Makary's time at the agency was defined by scientific disputes, leadership changes and a string of media stories detailing low morale and internal dysfunction among staffers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • There’s a story there, a complicated and disturbing one, but the new Netflix film Unabomber won’t be the one to give it to us.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • NASASpaceflight has many cameras in position around Starbase, and the company typically shares up-close video views and live commentary for preflight activities.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Rates become an even bigger hurdle for stocks Treasury yields surged to multidecade highs last week as strong economic data and hawkish Federal Reserve commentary raised expectations for more rate hikes.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of commentary
Noun
  • What to read next SpaceX's own livestream begins 30 minutes before liftoff (as mentioned above) and will be available via the SpaceX X account and the official Flight 14 mission page.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The state claimed the company favored certain accounts and allowed for violent or inaccurate content to proliferate.
    — Mikella Schuettler, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of account
Noun
  • Under the terms of the agreement, the reports will be kept confidential by the man and his attorneys.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield reports.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of report
Noun
  • Juan Angel, who went on to build a successful landscaping business, struggled with alcoholism, which Rivera chronicles in this narrative that does not shy away from the role addiction played in the life and death of his role model.
    — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of chronicle

Browse Nearby Words

histories
history
histrionic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“History.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/history. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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