Era
noun
Definition
1. (noun) A long period of time marked by particular events, characteristics, or developments — often used for history, culture, or technology.
2. (noun) A significant period in someone's personal life or in the life of an organisation, defined by a major change or quality.
2. (noun) A significant period in someone's personal life or in the life of an organisation, defined by a major change or quality.
Context Alive
You are cleaning out your parents' attic and you find a box of old cassette tapes. You hold one up and your dad smiles. He starts talking about the music he used to listen to, the concerts he went to, and how different everything was before the internet. 'That was a whole different era,' he says, shaking his head. You look at the tape and try to imagine a world without Spotify. You honestly cannot.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 A Long Period in History or Culture (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about a stretch of time that people recognise as different from what came before and after — usually because of big events, movements, or changes. Imagine reading a history book that describes Europe before and after the printing press — the book calls the time after it the beginning of a new era in communication. This is about a period that has its own identity and feeling. You might say 'The Victorian era was a time of huge industrial change', or someone could say 'We are living in the era of artificial intelligence.' Or think about how people talk about the 1990s as the era of boy bands, dial-up internet, and VHS tapes — it was a period with a very specific feel that ended and never came back. The word suggests something bigger than a few years — it is a chapter in the story of the world.
✏️ Era is one of those words that sounds slightly more serious and dramatic than "time" or "period." Saying "in that era" gives more weight than saying "at that time." Common combinations include the digital era, the modern era, the post-war era, the Victorian era. You will see it constantly in documentaries, news, books, and academic writing.
2 A Significant Period in Someone's Life or an Organisation (Noun) Common ▼
This meaning is about a personal or organisational chapter defined by a major change, attitude, or event. Imagine a football club that dominated their league for ten years under one legendary manager — fans call those years the golden era of the club. This is about a time that feels separate from what came before because something important changed. You might hear 'Her university years were the best era of her life', or someone could say 'The company entered a new era after the CEO was replaced.' Or think about someone who finally leaves a toxic relationship and starts rebuilding their confidence — their friends say it is the beginning of a new era for them. The word suggests a turning point — the old chapter is closed and a new one begins.
✏️ This personal use has become extremely popular in modern English, especially on social media. People say things like "I'm in my fitness era" or "This is my healing era" — meaning a phase of their life defined by one focus. This trend started around 2022 and is now a standard way young people describe personal chapters. It is lighthearted but everyone understands it.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
the + adjective + era → the standard form — describes the character of the period
The digital era has changed the way we communicate.
a new era → a fresh chapter or turning point
The election marked the beginning of a new era for the country.
the era of + noun → names the period by its defining feature
We are living in the era of social media.
Common Structures
the end of an era → the closing of an important chapter — often emotional
When the factory shut down, it felt like the end of an era.
mark / signal a new era → an event that begins a new period
The invention of the smartphone marked a new era in communication.
in someone's + noun + era → modern informal — describes a personal life phase
She says she is in her healing era right now.
Collocations
10 collocationsa new era
a fresh period defined by major change
the end of an era
the emotional closing of an important chapter
the digital era
the period defined by computers, internet, and technology
the modern era
the current or recent period of time
the era of social media
the time period dominated by online platforms
the golden era
the best or most successful period
the post-war era
the period after a major war, usually World War II
mark a new era
to signal the start of a different chapter
a bygone era
a time that has passed and will not return
the Victorian era
the period during Queen Victoria's reign (1837–1901)
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
The invention of the internet marked the beginning of a completely new era.
The internet's arrival started an entirely new chapter in human history.
2
When the last coal mine closed, the whole town felt like it was the end of an era.
The closure of the final coal mine made the town feel like an important chapter had ended.
3
We are living in the era of artificial intelligence and nobody knows where it is heading.
We are in a period dominated by AI and no one can predict what comes next.
4
My grandfather always talks about the pre-internet era like it was a different planet.
My grandfather describes the time before the internet as if it were a completely different world.
5
The 1990s were the golden era of hip-hop, according to most fans.
Most fans agree that the nineties were the best and most creative period for hip-hop.
6
She says she is in her fitness era and goes to the gym six days a week.
She says this is her health-focused phase and she works out nearly every day.
7
The new manager promised to bring in a new era of transparency at the company.
The new manager said he would start a fresh chapter of openness in the business.
8
Buildings from the Victorian era still stand in the centre of the city.
Structures built during Queen Victoria's time can still be seen in the city centre.
9
Streaming services have killed the era of renting DVDs from a shop.
Online streaming has ended the time when people went to shops to rent films.
10
It feels like the era of cheap flights might be coming to an end.
It seems like the period of affordable air travel could be finishing soon.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
2 items
Idioms & Expressionsthe end of an era — the emotional closing of an important, long-lasting period
His retirement really felt like the end of an era for the whole department.
a bygone era — a time that has passed and feels very distant from the present
Typewriters belong to a bygone era — nobody uses them anymore.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsage
very close in meaning — often used interchangeably (the digital age / the digital era)
period
more neutral and general — lacks the dramatic weight of era
epoch
more formal and literary — used in science, geology, and history writing
Antonymsmoment
a tiny point in time — the opposite of a long stretch
instant
something that happens immediately — no duration at all
blip
informal — a very short, unimportant period that barely registers