modernism
noun
mod·ern·ism
ˈmä-dər-ˌni-zəm 
1
: a practice, usage, or expression particular to the present time
… follows the rest of the [original] work more or less line by line, enlivening the language with modernisms and anachronisms of his own.—
Contemporary Authors
Contemporary Authors2
often Modernism
: a tendency in theology to accommodate traditional religious teaching to contemporary thought and especially to devalue supernatural elements
3
: modern artistic or literary philosophy and practice
especially
: a self-conscious break with the past and a search for new forms of expression
… extols the … modernism that laid the foundation of all twentieth-century design. —Jeffrey Simpson
Jeffrey Simpson Examples of modernism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 20-foot walls are hung salon-style with gilt frames surrounding oil paintings flirting at once with modernism and Renaissance styles.
—Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Naturally, this latter conceit also belies the African influence that made European modernism possible.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026
Warm Modernism By warm modernism, Broughton refers to a desire that many homeowners have started to express with regard to the overall feeling their spaces evoke.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 6 Feb. 2026
The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag.
—CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
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Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
Naturally, this latter conceit also belies the African influence that made European modernism possible.
—Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026
Warm Modernism By warm modernism, Broughton refers to a desire that many homeowners have started to express with regard to the overall feeling their spaces evoke.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 6 Feb. 2026
The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag.
—CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for modernism
Cite this Entry
“Modernism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modernism. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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