momentous
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See heavy.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of momentous
Explanation
Momentous describes an important event or moment in time. It is used for a time of great consequence or for a major accomplishment, and is almost always reserved for good things. When a moment is so great you know you'll never forget it, you have just experienced something momentous. It can be personal — perhaps the day you were named prom queen; or something historic — like the day Elizabeth was named Queen of England. Momentous and momentary share the root word moment but momentary describes just one fleeting moment in time. A momentary occurrence can certainly be momentous, but it's not always the case.
Vocabulary lists containing momentous
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "M"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shane Graham, chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, a Māori authority, said the return was a momentous occasion.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
To become, in other words, the hero that’s needed to turn this momentous struggle around.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Harris said the weekend before the Dechert report became public was a momentous one at Apollo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
This raises a momentous question: If diagnosed with a terminal illness, how can you weigh the decision in a calm, unhurried, fully informed manner?
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Instead, she planned to stay in “private contemplation, out of respect for the momentous events which are about to occur.”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
