What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Momentous vs Lawful - What's the difference?

momentous | lawful |

As adjectives the difference between momentous and lawful

is that momentous is outstanding in importance, of great consequence while lawful is conforming to, or recognised by law or rules.

momentous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Outstanding in importance, of great consequence.
  • * 1725 , , Everybody's Business is Nobody's Business :
  • The reason why I did not publish this book till the end of the last sessions of parliament was, because I did not care to interfere with more momentous affairs.
  • * 1831 , , Homeward Bound , ch. 31:
  • "It has been a momentous month, and I hope we shall all retain healthful recollections of it as long as we live."
  • * 1902 , , The End of the Tether , ch. 3:
  • What to the other parties was merely the sale of a ship was to him a momentous event involving a radically new view of existence.
  • * 2007 July 1, , " Inferior Design," New York Times (retrieved 19 Nov 2013):
  • Natural selection is arguably the most momentous idea ever to occur to a human mind, because it — alone as far as we know — explains the elegant illusion of design that pervades the living kingdoms and explains, in passing, us.

    Derived terms

    * momentously * momentousness

    lawful

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Conforming to, or recognised by law or rules.
  • Synonyms

    * just * legitimate * licit

    Antonyms

    * unlawful

    Derived terms

    * lawfully