1
as in serial
appearing in parts or numbers that follow regularly
a periodical town newsletter that is supported by local advertisers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals
periodical announcements from airline personnel concerning the delay
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in frequent
appearing or occurring repeatedly from time to time
periodical visits to the dentist will help keep your teeth healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals
subscribed to three new periodicals
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 periodical
Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2025
The shift from law as public spectacle to more opaque forms of discipline coincided with an unprecedented expansion of the periodical press.
—Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
What resulted was a learning center for the 532 students who attend An Thanh Commune Primary School in the mountainous Hoai An District, complete with a computer lab, books, periodicals and furniture.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for periodical
Adjective
Annual cicadas insects typically have green bodies with black markings, and are usually larger than periodical ciacadas, Chris Hayes, a postdoctoral scholar at N.C. State University who specializes educating the pest management industry on critter habits, previously told The Charlotte Observer.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2025
The shift from law as public spectacle to more opaque forms of discipline coincided with an unprecedented expansion of the periodical press.
—Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
Book categories include fiction, nonfiction, children’s, romance, hobby, travel, health and living, religion, textbooks, periodicals and cookbooks in both hardcover and paperback, the release said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
What resulted was a learning center for the 532 students who attend An Thanh Commune Primary School in the mountainous Hoai An District, complete with a computer lab, books, periodicals and furniture.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for periodical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for periodical
Adjective
-
She was captivated by the sheer number of serial killers running amok in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s and ’80s.—
Sarah Weinman,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2025
-
Authorities also described the crew as serial thieves who previously targeted other drivers.—
Josh Campbell,
CNN Money,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
The symptoms have become so recurrent that the girl’s parents spend sleepless nights taking turns monitoring and caring for her.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
12 June 2025
-
In some cases, however, pellagra proved to be a recurrent disease, flaring up again once patients returned home and resumed their polenta-heavy diet.—
Asia London Palomba,
Smithsonian Magazine,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Willy’s father worked as an editor at the Amsterdam News, the famous house organ of the Harlem Renaissance writers, and Willy grew up with Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes being frequent guests at the dinner table.—
Benjamin Hale
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
-
The volcano saw an increase in seismicity, marked by frequent small earthquakes, around 4:30 a.m.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
Brett had rediscovered the old newspaper article while going through some things at home.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
24 June 2025
-
Richard kept newspaper clippings about their abductions in a locker in his apartment, and authorities later found both fingerprint and DNA evidence connecting him to the crimes, The Washington Post reported.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Does this bring him into a more recurring, regular role?—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
9 May 2025
-
Dobson says the research is coming now that the power engineering community increasingly recognizes cascading failures as a distinct and recurring problem—a concept that still elicited protests from power engineers in the aftermath of the 2003 blackout.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
14 Aug. 2013
Adjective
-
High-criticality or hard-to-access assets often justify remote, real-time solutions (e.g., IoT sensors), while less-critical assets might only need handheld tools or periodic checks.—
Ed Garibian,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
The footage captured by the drones will be also subject to periodic audits.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
The results were published in the journal Contraception.—
Lisa Falco,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
The findings were published in the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Events like these will attract an affluent international audience seeking more than just the two hours of entertainment that a regular day out at the soccer provides.—
David Ferrini,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
If regular Jenga is like performing delicate surgery, this extra large version from a different company is like performing a dangerous game of minesweeper.—
Parker Hall,
Wired News,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Periodical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/periodical. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share