as in day
an extent of time associated with a particular person or thing the introduction of the mass production of cars on an assembly line ushered in the era of the automobile

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the noun era differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of era are age, epoch, and period. While all these words mean "a division of time," era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

When might age be a better fit than era?

While in some cases nearly identical to era, age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

Where would epoch be a reasonable alternative to era?

While the synonyms epoch and era are close in meaning, epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events.

the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry

When would period be a good substitute for era?

In some situations, the words period and era are roughly equivalent. However, period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of era In Republican political circles, where she’s been active throughout the Trump era, Dhillon is regarded as smart, articulate, and tough. The Editors, National Review, 13 Dec. 2024 The idea of ending the series was first floated by Riley last August at Big Ten media day, as the coach considered the future of nonconference scheduling in the 12-team College Football Playoff era. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024 This was the era of bottle service and Britney, of The Devil Wears Prada and Von Dutch. Christopher Rosa, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2024 With more and more couples opting to cohabitate without marrying, the era of Big Breakup was probably inevitable. Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for era 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for era
Noun
  • The acting director was testifying on Thursday about the steps the agency has taken since then to correct some of the issues identified in the various subsequent reviews of that day.
    Eileen Sullivan, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
  • The stock is having a big week, up 13% in three days.
    Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Horner died in 2019 at age 39 while serving life without parole for the murders, the Altoona Mirror reported.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
  • His wife, Eva Perón, who died from cancer at age 33, became an idol for the country’s poor.
    Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Swims and Bunetta fleshed out the rest of the song in an Airbnb together, taking inspiration from a relationship Swims was struggling with at the time.
    Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Given the lack of economic opportunities in the area at the time, Ryan left home after high school, working at a ski hill and then in construction before enrolling in a tourism program at university.
    Sofia Perez, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • This week’s White House Report Card finds the nation entering an awkward period where the sitting president is becoming irrelevant, and the incoming president is prematurely taking charge. Take Saturday’s celebration of the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as an example.
    Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Dec. 2024
  • During the same seven-day period Walmart and Amazon's shares have risen between 3% and 7%, while Target's and PDD's have stayed flat.
    Siddharth Cavale, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • In the epoch of artificial intelligence (AI), the demand for real-time decision-making and data-processing applications is rapidly increasing.
    Cristian Randieri, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
  • This revelation constrains modern understanding of the Pleistocene sea level fluctuations during an epoch of lower carbon dioxide concentrations, the cyclic glaciation and deglaciation periods, ecosystem recovery, and the transition between warming and cooling periods.
    Carly Miller, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near era

Cite this Entry

“Era.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/era. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

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