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
Terry Collins, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
This historical information becomes increasingly valuable during organizational transformations, providing the stability and context needed to manage change effectively.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
The destinations also had to offer scenic views, tasty, historical sights and plenty of activities, the publication said.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2025
But the British inhabitants of St. Augustine still worried about attacks by the Spanish — hence the fortifications, according to numerous historical accounts.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 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 27 Apr. 2025.
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historical
adjective
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