Synonyms of period

period

noun

ˈpir-ē-əd 

1

as in monthlies

an occurrence of menstruating

she hoped her period wouldn't start until she got home

Synonyms & Similar Words

• monthlies
• menstruation
• menses

2

as in day

an extent of time associated with a particular person or thing

the Romantic period in music

Synonyms & Similar Words

• day
• era
• time
• age
• epoch
• year
• cycle
• generation
• span
• date
• while
• space
• spell
• bit
• stretch
• vintage

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun period differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of period are age, epoch, and era. While all these words mean "a division of time," period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

When is age a more appropriate choice than period?

The synonyms age and period are sometimes interchangeable, but age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

When might epoch be a better fit than period?

In some situations, the words epoch and period are roughly equivalent. However, 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 era be a good substitute for period?

The words era and period can be used in similar contexts, but era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of period

The incident occurred just before half distance in the Zandvoort race, during the safety car period that followed Lewis Hamilton’s solo crash, with Sainz trying to pass Lawson for seventh place at the outside of the track’s Tarzan Turn 1. —Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025

Toward the end of the colonial period, portrait photography records yet another cultural shift. —H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 13 Sep. 2025

After a nearly two-year trial period, YouTube is finally rolling out multilingual dubbing for content creators. —Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 13 Sep. 2025

Brett Harrison also had several chances, hitting the post on one in the third period. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025