as in day
an extent of time associated with a particular person or thing the introduction of the mass production of cars on an assembly line ushered in the era of the automobile

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the noun era differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of era are age, epoch, and period. While all these words mean "a division of time," era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

When might age be a better fit than era?

While in some cases nearly identical to era, age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

Where would epoch be a reasonable alternative to era?

While the synonyms epoch and era are close in meaning, epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events.

the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry

When would period be a good substitute for era?

In some situations, the words period and era are roughly equivalent. However, period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of era In Republican political circles, where she’s been active throughout the Trump era, Dhillon is regarded as smart, articulate, and tough. The Editors, National Review, 13 Dec. 2024 The idea of ending the series was first floated by Riley last August at Big Ten media day, as the coach considered the future of nonconference scheduling in the 12-team College Football Playoff era. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024 This was the era of bottle service and Britney, of The Devil Wears Prada and Von Dutch. Christopher Rosa, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2024 With more and more couples opting to cohabitate without marrying, the era of Big Breakup was probably inevitable. Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for era 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for era
Noun
  • Some companies, like those in Japan, offer incentives like extra vacation days to encourage healthy habits.
    Basel Ramlawi, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Bessette-Kennedy’s gown also inspired one of Meghan Markle’s wedding day looks: specifically her halter neck Stella McCartney reception dress.
    Hannah Malach, WWD, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • His wife, Eva Perón, who died from cancer at age 33, became an idol for the country’s poor.
    Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Horner died in 2019 at age 39 while serving life without parole for the murders, the Altoona Mirror reported.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Swims and Bunetta fleshed out the rest of the song in an Airbnb together, taking inspiration from a relationship Swims was struggling with at the time.
    Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Given the rate of such violence, concerned Southeast Asian and white American organizers of the time decided to tackle the issue through a bilingual video targeting the Cambodian American community.
    H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • And while the spirits industry at large is going through a rocky period as sales have dropped globally over the last year, rum’s future is perhaps a bit steadier if forecasts hold up.
    Rachel King, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
  • The 5 Most Effective Ways To Deal With A Toxic Coworker By Faye McCray 0 Some time ago, I was brought into a company during a big transition period to help move things in a new direction.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The Clovis people were prehistoric Native Americans who lived roughly 13,000 years ago in North America near the end of the Pleistocene epoch.
    Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Major Craters on Earth To garner the results of this study, the research team looked at the impacts of two major asteroids from the late Eocene epoch (about 38 million years to 33 million years ago).
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near era

Cite this Entry

“Era.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/era. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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