history
noun
his·to·ry
ˈhi-st(ə-)rē 
plural histories
2
a
: a chronological record of significant events (such as those affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes
a history of Japan
b
: a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena (as of geography, animals, or plants)
an illustrated history of North American birds
c
: an account of a patient's medical background
reviewing her medical history
d
: an established record
a prisoner with a history of violence
3
: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
medieval history
4
a
: events that form the subject matter of a history
the history of space exploration
b
: events of the past
History has shown that such efforts rarely succeed.
c
: one that is finished or done for
the winning streak was history
you're history
d
: previous treatment, handling, or experience (as of a metal)
a history of repeated exposure to freezing temperatures
Examples of history in a Sentence
I studied history in college.
a professor of medieval history
They were one of the greatest teams in history.
It was one of the most destructive storms in modern history.
It was a period in American history when most people lived and worked on farms.
The history of space exploration is a fascinating topic.
He wrote a well-known history of the British empire.
The book begins with a brief history of the Internet.
Recent Examples on the Web
This latest run-in with the law marked the Hammer of the Gods star’s sixth arrest in five years amid the pair’s history of legal issues.
—
Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
The Heat reached the 140-point mark for the seventh time this season, with Monday’s 147-point display marking the third-highest scoring performance in franchise history.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
There are thrills and chills aplenty on Paramount+, with some coming directly from the parent company’s own 113-plus-year history.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
In March 2020 Robinhood suffered a major app outage on one of the biggest up days in market history, leaving users unable to trade as the Dow surged, Warnick recalled.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for history
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
The Heat reached the 140-point mark for the seventh time this season, with Monday’s 147-point display marking the third-highest scoring performance in franchise history.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
There are thrills and chills aplenty on Paramount+, with some coming directly from the parent company’s own 113-plus-year history.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
In March 2020 Robinhood suffered a major app outage on one of the biggest up days in market history, leaving users unable to trade as the Dow surged, Warnick recalled.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for history
Cite this Entry
“History.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/history. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
history
noun
his·to·ry
ˈhis-t(ə-)rē
plural histories
1
: a story of real or imaginary events
2
a
: a written record of important events and their causes
b
: a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
c
: events that form the topics of a history
Medical Definition
history
noun
his·to·ry
ˈhis-t(ə-)rē
plural histories
: an account of a patient's family and personal background and past and present health
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