current

1 of 2

adjective

cur·​rent ˈkər-ənt 

ˈkə-rənt

1

a(1)

: occurring in or existing at the present time

the current crisis

current supplies

current needs

(2)

: presently elapsing

the current year

(3)

: most recent

the magazine's current issue

the current survey

b

archaic : running, flowing

2

: generally accepted, used, practiced, or prevalent at the moment

current fashions

current ideas about education

3

: used as a medium of exchange

currentness noun

current

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: the part of a fluid body (such as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction

b

: the swiftest part of a stream

c

: a tidal or nontidal movement of lake or ocean water

d

: flow marked by force or strength

2

a

: a tendency or course of events that is usually the result of an interplay of forces

currents of public opinion

b

: a prevailing mood : strain

3

: a flow of electric charge

also : the rate of such flow

Synonyms

Adjective

• conventional
• customary
• going
• popular
• prevailing
• prevalent
• standard
• stock
• usual

Noun

• direction
• drift
• leaning
• run
• tendency
• tide
• trend
• wind

Choose the Right Synonym for current

tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction.

tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces

the drift of the population away from large cities

or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

got the drift of her argument

tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

Examples of current in a Sentence

Adjective

The dictionary's current edition has 10,000 new words.

Who is your current employer?

We need to keep current with the latest information.

Noun

Strong currents pulled the swimmer out to sea.

Air currents carried the balloon for miles.

The circuit supplies current to the saw.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

These forward-looking statements are based on Moderna's current expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release. —Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2024

The notice was made public Thursday, ahead of the 10 a.m. installation ceremony for the new nine-member transitional presidential council tasked with forging a path out of the current crisis and leading Haiti to eventual elections. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024

The total birth rate has remained below the level of replacement since 2007, meaning the U.S. depends on immigration to sustain current population levels. —Jessica Nix / Bloomberg, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024

With the central bank expected to maintain interest rates at their current two-decade high, the latest data could delay future cuts. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2024

In Angel Island, the whispers of poems carved into the immigration station walls by detainees ripple across time, connecting that shameful past to our current immigration debate. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024

Those surveyed said the biggest current risks include talent shortages, uncertainty around the Federal Reserve’s rate path, inflationary pressure, and geopolitical tension. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 25 Apr. 2024

Under the law, the current owners of the video sharing platform, Chinese tech firm ByteDance, will need to sell the app within 270 days or else it will be wiped from Apple and Google app stores in the United States. —Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024

But because of current market conditions, there is increasingly little margin for error for directors. —Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024

Noun

Simply by turning to China for assistance in alleviating issues in the Red Sea, the U.S. has all but admitted the shifting currents of global influence and naval power. —Matan Peled, Fortune, 25 Apr. 2024

Here, tarpon larvae ride the currents of the Gulf Stream and disperse into estuaries throughout the state. —Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 24 Apr. 2024

Supercells are characterized by strong and stable upward currents of air that persist for up to hours at a time. —Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024

Chen says there’s a balance between needing a strong enough current that induces phosphenes but doesn’t cause unwanted side effects. —Emily Mullin, WIRED, 15 Apr. 2024

Even if surrounded by strong currents, the forest provides a calmer environment, a refuge for these species. —Olivia Ferrari, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2024

In the south delta, endangered fish are pulled off traditional migratory paths between high-elevation waters and the San Francisco Bay by the powerful state and federal pumps, which change the direction of the rivers’ current. —Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024

In February, a judge in Alameda County Superior Court approved class-action status for the case, opening the way for nearly 6,000 Black current and former Tesla workers to join as plaintiffs. —Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024

The guitars sound corroded and the drums feel paper thin, all while Mount Kimbie confront us with vignettes featuring intimacy-hungry characters that fight a current of loneliness and isolation. —Margaret Farrell, SPIN, 12 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latininization of Middle English corrant, curraunt, borrowed from Anglo-French curant, corant, present participle of coure, courir "to run, flow," going back to Latin currere "to run, roll, move swiftly, flow," going back to Indo-European *kr̥s-e- "run," whence also Greek epíkouros "helping, helper" (from *epíkorsos "running toward," with o-grade ablaut), Old Irish carr "cart, wagon," Welsh car "vehicle" (from Celtic *kr̥s-o-), and perhaps Germanic *hursa- horse entry 1

Note: The Indo-European base has generally been taken as a primary verb, though Latin is the only language in which it is so attested.

Noun

Latinization of Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Middle French courant, going back to Old French, noun derivative from corant, curant, present participle of coure, courir "to run, flow" — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing current

• alternating current
• current account
• current affairs
• current assets
• current events
• direct current
• eddy current
• rip current
• unidirectional current

Kids Definition

current

1 of 2 adjective

cur·​rent ˈkər-ənt 

ˈkə-rənt

1

a

: now passing

the current month

b

: occurring in or belonging to the present time

current events

2

: generally accepted, used, or practiced

current customs

currently adverb

currentness noun

current

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the part of a fluid body moving continuously in a certain direction

b

: the swiftest part of a stream

2

: general course or movement : trend

3

: a stream of electric charge

also : the rate of such movement

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English curraunt, coraunt "moving, flowing, running," from early French corant, curant "running," derived from Latin currere "to run" — related to corridor, courier, course, excursion, incur, occur

Medical Definition

current

noun

cur·​rent ˈkər-ənt, ˈkə-rənt 

1

: the part of a fluid body (as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction

2

: a flow of electric charge

also : the rate of such flow