Definition of phenomenonnext
as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising our jaws dropped when we saw this basketball phenomenon play for the first time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 phenomenon This natural phenomenon occurs for a few days in March and September due to the angle of the setting sun. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2026 This evidence that the phenomenon extended far beyond a single ocean basin suggested a global process with more than temperature at work. Quanta Magazine, 11 Sep. 2026 The demonstrators were mobilized (and their messages and gatherings coordinated) through the relatively new phenomenon of social media. David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026 In October 1950, Peanuts debuted as a syndicated strip in seven newspapers before eventually becoming a global phenomenon. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phenomenon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phenomenon
Noun
  • In a city where the sidewalks are full of people who’ve either made their name or come hoping to, the real miracle downtown was the quiet return of the ordinary.
    Susan Watts, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In a culture of aggregation and AI summary, the stiffest original thinking still feels as supple as a tone poem, and genuine intellectual ambition akin to a secular miracle.
    Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Grounded in tragedy and yet evoking a consistent sense of wonder, the lady of the house looks less like a mirror for her husband than a magnifying glass held over his genius and grotesquerie.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But most of all, wonder feels scarce because contemporary life has depleted the value of the moment.
    Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Here, age-old traditions fuse with contemporary flavors, archaeological marvels meet modernist museums, rugged peaks are juxtaposed against verdant plains, and stretches of sandy shorelines lead to charming inland villages.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In 1959, Disneyland debuted an attraction that was, at the time, a technical and fantastical marvel.
    Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Phenomenon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phenomenon. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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