postmodern

adjective

post·​mod·​ern ˌpōs(t)-ˈmä-dərn 

nonstandard -ˈmä-d(ə-)rən

1

: of, relating to, or being an era after a modern one

postmodern times

a postmodern metropolis

2

a

: of, relating to, or being any of various movements in reaction to modernism that are typically characterized by a return to traditional materials and forms (as in architecture) or by ironic self-reference and absurdity (as in literature)

b

: of, relating to, or being a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language

postmodern feminism

postmodernism

ˌpōs(t)-ˈmä-dər-ˌni-zəm 

noun

postmodernist

ˌpōs(t)-ˈmä-dər-nist 

adjective or noun

postmodernity

ˌpōs(t)-mə-ˈdər-ne-tē 

-mä-

also -ˈder-

noun

Examples of postmodern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sly and the Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On introduced a kind of postmodern electronic culture, and suddenly everyone began following. — Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026

Homes & Gardens highlights vintage midcentury and postmodern pieces as part of the current interest in sculptural furniture. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026

The publication highlights vintage midcentury and postmodern pieces as part of the current interest in sculptural furniture. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2026

The book is breathtakingly large in scope and purpose, tracking the ideal from pre-Revolutionary America to the postmodern age. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for postmodern

• premodern
• modern