momentous

adjective

mo·​men·​tous mō-ˈmen-təs How to pronounce momentous (audio)
mə-
: having great or lasting importance : consequential, significant
a momentous decision
a momentous event/occasion
The Senate begins a momentous debate on health care today …The New York Times
Deydey usually talked about his travels, the places he'd seen and the people, the close calls and momentous encounters with animals, weather, other Anishinabeg, and best of all, ghosts.Louise Erdrich
The late nineteenth century was strewn with inventions. Many were momentous, but few affected men and women more closely than the bicycle and its motorized offspring: motorcycle, motor-car and aeroplane.Eugen Weber
momentously adverb
a momentously important decision
… a … twist that is executed differently from the comic book story, but is just as dramatically and momentously presented. The Philippines Daily Inquirer
momentousness noun
But other East Europeans had little time to marvel at the momentousness of the moment. Just one day after the fall of the [Berlin] Wall, Bulgaria's dour leader of 35 years, Todor Zhivkov, was ousted. Stephen E. Deane

Examples of momentous in a Sentence

My college graduation was a momentous day in my life. a momentous occasion that will go down in the history books
Recent Examples on the Web Goreski marked the momentous occasion on their London trip, too. Kaitlin Stevens, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 The advent of effective therapeutics for weight loss is heralded as momentous, particularly in light of the fact that more than 40% of the U.S. population is considered overweight or obese. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Los Angeles Chargers The hiring of HC Jim Harbaugh has already made this a momentous offseason for the Bolts. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 The Enquirer was invited to document the momentous occasion, and for some reason, I, an avid chili hater, was assigned the job. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Nothing specific or momentous enough to press itself into your memory. Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2024 His influence, though, was abiding and deep — especially his momentous work with Mr. Lewis, which had an impact comparable to that of other groundbreaking rock ’n’ roll drummers like Earl Palmer and Hal Blaine. Bill Friskics-Warren, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 Today, these same properties set the scene for contemporary adventures, from city breaks to languid vacations to momentous occasions. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 12 Feb. 2024 That’s the momentous question the U.S. Supreme Court will consider in Trump v. Anderson, a case being argued before the justices on Feb. 8, 2024. Jessica A. Schoenherr, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'momentous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of momentous was in 1631

Dictionary Entries Near momentous

Cite this Entry

“Momentous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/momentous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

momentous

adjective
mo·​men·​tous mō-ˈment-əs How to pronounce momentous (audio)
: very important
a momentous decision
momentously adverb

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