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.
Bellamy scored the winning goal when Wales last faced Italy in Cardiff, a momentous occasion at a sold-out Millennium Stadium.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 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
Biographers such as Ms. Riskin frequently claim their subjects are more momentous than they were.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
In 2017, he became an American citizen, arriving at that momentous decision while walking in a Westwood cemetery.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026
Soon after Hale and Ramsey were convicted, White faced a momentous decision.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
