decennial

adjective

de·​cen·​ni·​al di-ˈse-nē-əl How to pronounce decennial (audio)
1
: consisting of or lasting for 10 years
2
: occurring or being done every 10 years
the decennial census
decennial noun
decennially adverb

Examples of decennial 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.
The dispute is the latest involving claims of racial gerrymandering and the drawing of political districts to land before the high court following the re-crafting of voting boundaries after the decennial census. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2025 The first national efforts to track information about deaths began in the 1850s when the U.S. Census Bureau started collecting mortality data as part of the decennial census. Dylan Thomas Doyle, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2025 Since the 2020 decennial census, the Baltimore region’s population is estimated to have grown 0.4%. Shaela Foster, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025 On the other hand, a rural targeted employment area must have a population of 20,000 or fewer based on the most recent decennial census, must not border a municipality with more than 20,000 residents and must be outside a metropolitan statistical area. Sam Silverman, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decennial

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decennial was circa 1656

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decennial. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

decennial

adjective
de·​cen·​ni·​al di-ˈsen-ē-əl How to pronounce decennial (audio)
1
: consisting of 10 years
2
: happening every 10 years
decennial census
decennially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on decennial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!