trillion

noun

tril·​lion ˈtri(l)-yən How to pronounce trillion (audio)
Synonyms of trillionnext
1
: a number equal to 1,000 times one billion see Table of Numbers
2
: an indeterminately large number
a trillion mosquitoes out tonight
trillion adjective
trillionth
ˈtri(l)-yən(t)th How to pronounce trillion (audio)
adjective or noun

Examples of trillion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As trillions of dollars change hands, inheritors won’t just take on their family fortunes—they’ll also have the chance to reshape how that wealth is invested, spent, and put to work. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 The United States lost thousands of lives and spent trillions of dollars in Afghanistan and Iraq, whereas the ongoing conflict with Iran has resulted in 18 American service members killed and has likely cost tens of billions of dollars. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 All of these have impacts beyond the people who directly benefit; every $1 cut to SNAP costs families $14-$20, Medicaid cuts will reduce the GDP by $154 billion in 2029, and cuts to research could cost the country billions if not trillions. — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026 Its computing power in TOPS, or trillions of operations per second, remains undisclosed. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trillion

Word History

Etymology

French, from tri- + -illion (as in million)

First Known Use

1745, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of trillion was in 1745

Rhymes for trillion

See All Rhymes for trillion

Browse Nearby Words

Trilling
trillion
trillionaire
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trillion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trillion. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

trillion

noun
tril·​lion ˈtril-yən How to pronounce trillion (audio)
1
: a number equal to 1,000 times one billion see number
2
: a very large number
a trillion mosquitoes out tonight
trillion adjective
trillionth
-yən(t)th How to pronounce trillion (audio)
adjective
trillionth noun

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