epochal

adjective

ep·​och·​al ˈe-pə-kəl How to pronounce epochal (audio)
ˈe-ˌpä-kəl
Synonyms of epochal
1
: of or relating to an epoch
2
: uniquely or highly significant : momentous
… during his three epochal years in the Assembly.—C. G. Bowers
also : unparalleled
epochal stupidity
epochally adverb

Examples of epochal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Chinese thought leaders conceived of the strategy in epochal terms. — Alex Wang, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025 These are huge, epochal changes for older Americans that have happened in just the past 15 years. — Ken Stern, USA Today, 28 Feb. 2026 Its demographics have also undergone an epochal shift. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026 The whip-smart, late-20th-century retelling of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is one of the most epochal teen rom-coms. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for epochal

Word History

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of epochal was in 1685

Browse Nearby Words

epocha
epochal
epoche
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Epochal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epochal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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