historical
adjective
Did you know?
historic or historical?
Do you experience a slight pause before using either of these words as you try to remember which one is correct and whether it should be preceded by an or a? If so, you’re not alone, for many people find this pair particularly tricky. Historic and historical are both occasionally found preceded by an, since the initial h in each word was formerly left unpronounced. Now this h is heard, and a is far more common than an (by a ratio of about 4 to 1 in American English).
Historic and historical have been used interchangeably by many writers, even in recent years. If you would like to avoid being corrected, however, use historical for matters relating to history (the historical society), and historic to refer to things having great and lasting importance (a historic occasion).
Examples of historical in a Sentence
Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Calls for context or conversation While some Black leaders are calling for the statue's removal, others said that, at a minimum, more historical context should be added.
—Marissa Armas, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
That’s an improvement from the 12,000-jobs-a-month slog in 2025 but still below the historical average of 120,000 jobs per month, BLS data shows.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Epic historical fiction, dark academia, and the quirkiest 90s throwback, each novel showcasing a different facet of the slow burn trope.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for historical
Cite this Entry
“Historical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historical. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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historical
adjective
