momentous
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
See heavy.
Other Word Forms
- momentously adverb
- momentousness noun
- unmomentous adjective
- unmomentously adverb
- unmomentousness noun
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.
With a tour looming in the summer and a first-time Coachella slot coming next month, Slayyyter is winding up for a momentous year.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
These momentous gains contributed to an increase in market value that helped them secure their spots in the S&P 500.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
These momentous shifts partly explain how the U.S. economy easily withstood a surge in oil prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 21, 2026
Mr. Scott charts a course through these momentous events with great skill, producing a book that is readable and accessible but bedded in authoritative scholarship.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026
They traveled the length of the island with an air of disregarding it and being set on other business; they were less a progress than a momentous rise and fall or the whole ocean.
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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.
