historical
adjective
Did you know?
historic or historical?
Do you experience a slight pause before using either of these words as you try to remember which one is correct and whether it should be preceded by an or a? If so, you’re not alone, for many people find this pair particularly tricky. Historic and historical are both occasionally found preceded by an, since the initial h in each word was formerly left unpronounced. Now this h is heard, and a is far more common than an (by a ratio of about 4 to 1 in American English).
Historic and historical have been used interchangeably by many writers, even in recent years. If you would like to avoid being corrected, however, use historical for matters relating to history (the historical society), and historic to refer to things having great and lasting importance (a historic occasion).
Examples of historical in a Sentence
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Peekaboo Animation, Fabrique Fantastique Targeted at kids 4–8 years old, this educational and adventurous comedy series introduces kids to famous figures like Mandela and Mozart in their childhood, blending humor and historical insight.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 6 June 2025
On June 6, Predator: Killer of Killers debuted on Hulu, exploring how the Yautja aliens have affected historical eras from the Vikings to feudal Japan.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 6 June 2025
Demand has stayed relatively strong as inventory levels for used vehicles – 2.2 million – remain low compared with historical levels.
—Michael Wayland, CNBC, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for historical
Cite this Entry
“Historical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historical. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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historical
adjective
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