modern

1 of 2

adjective

mod·​ern ˈmä-dərn How to pronounce modern (audio)
 nonstandard  ˈmä-d(ə-)rən
1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the immediate past : contemporary
the modern American family
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a period extending from a relevant remote past to the present time
modern history
2
: involving recent techniques, methods, or ideas : up-to-date
modern methods of communication
3
capitalized : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of development of a language
Modern English
4
: of or relating to modernism : modernist
Modern art has abandoned the representation of recognizable objects.
modernly adverb
modernness noun

modern

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a person of modern times or views
b
: an adherent of modernism : modernist
2
: a style of printing type distinguished by regularity of shape, precise curves, straight hairline serifs, and heavy downstrokes

Examples of modern in a Sentence

Adjective Water pollution is a growing problem in the modern world. He's known as the father of modern medicine. The English that was spoken by William Shakespeare is very different from the modern English spoken today. She is learning Modern Greek. They live in one of the most modern cities in the world. modern methods of communication including e-mail and the Internet She cut her long hair for a modern look. He made his old-fashioned apartment look more modern by changing the color of the walls and buying new furniture. Their latest movie is a modern version of a classic children's story. She has modern ideas about dating and marriage. Noun the leaders of the American suffragists were originally regarded by many people as uppity moderns who should have stayed in their place
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Turn your living room into a visual delight with this rustic midcentury modern TV stand. Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024 This is a story about one of modern life’s least consequential but most acutely annoying experiences: getting a sufficient number of capers out of those dollhouse-size jars they’re sold in. Allison Morrow, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 From a historical satire to the modern era Professor Aaron Koller stresses that there are no mentions of this massacre in the histories of that era. Deena Prichep, NPR, 23 Mar. 2024 But activists eventually found an ally in Abdoulaye Wade, who was elected Senegal’s president in 2000 as a modern reformer. Ayen Deng Bior, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar. 2024 Since then, while the number of fully remote roles has nosedived, the share of hybrid jobs has held relatively steady, and a working model that would have been unthinkable to most people just a few years ago has become a fixture of modern life. Trey Williams, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 How student housing around USC is transforming a historic Black and Latino neighborhood Developers have been buying out longtime homeowners in South L.A., transforming a neighborhood west of USC away from single-family homes to modern student housing. Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 But most of the stuff in modern day seems sort of not a direct corollary to anything that's going on now. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024 Even the physical limitations of modern robots are on the precipice of being solved. Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
The midcentury modern remodeled by Brad Burch at IndexAD features views of Boulder and the mountains and backs to open space. Sara B. Hansen, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024 Unlike its Art Deco predecessors, finished in wood and bronze, the S.S. U.S. was mid-century modern, its upper works all aluminum, intended to look to the future and also be completely fire-resistant. Brittany Murray/medianews Group/long Beach Press-Telegram Via Getty Images, Curbed, 19 Jan. 2024 To be resilient moderns, Jews needed, rather, a liberal nation rooted in the Hebrew language and a part of the ancient territory; a new Hebrew culture of poets like Hayim Nahman Bialik and, later, Nathan Alterman. Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024 If mid-century modern is your vibe, this royal blue velvet couch that’s 63 percent off would make a stunning addition to your living room. Alex Nelson, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 Welcome back to this blend of mid-century modern and a kitschy take on Americana. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2023 From Victorian to mid-century modern, there’s a palette for that Standing in front of an array of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of two- or three-inch paint chips at the hardware store can be intimidating. Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023 If Scandinavian modern is more your speed, keep your cabinets natural and paint the walls a subtle pastel. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023 Here’s a handsome midcentury modern that just hit the market: Awkward interior remodels of a 1960 house at 6323 N.W. Manor Drive in Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood have been replaced by thoughtful renovations conceived by the owners and executed by Epic Construction. Jeastman, oregonlive, 13 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'modern.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Late Latin modernus, from Latin modo just now, from modus measure — more at mete

First Known Use

Adjective

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of modern was in 1585

Dictionary Entries Near modern

Cite this Entry

“Modern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modern. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

modern

1 of 2 adjective
mod·​ern ˈmäd-ərn How to pronounce modern (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the recent past
2
: of or relating to the period from about 1500 to the present
modern history
Modern English
modernity noun
modernness noun

modern

2 of 2 noun
: a person of modern times or ideas

More from Merriam-Webster on modern

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!