What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
tenth
Example
She came in tenth place in the race. [tenth: adjective]
Example
I ate a tenth of the pizza. [tenth: noun]
Example
Today is the tenth of June. [tenth: noun]
decennial
Example
The census is conducted decennially to gather population data. [decennially: adverb]
Example
The school hosts a decennial reunion for alumni every ten years. [decennial: adjective]
Example
The company is celebrating its decennial anniversary this year. [decennial: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Tenth is more common than decennial in everyday language. Tenth is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while decennial is less common and typically used in formal or academic contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between tenth and decennial?
Decennial is more formal than tenth. It is typically used in academic or formal contexts, while tenth can be used in both formal and informal contexts.