presentism
noun
pres·ent·ism
ˈpre-zᵊn-ˌti-zəm 
: an attitude toward the past dominated by present-day attitudes and experiences
Examples of presentism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s another form of presentism, less malevolent but equally misleading and potentially as dangerous.
—
Gerard Baker, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2024
On the one hand, Mr. Robertson rejects presentism.
—Jeffrey Collins, WSJ, 12 Mar. 2021
Historians often refer to this error as presentism, the tendency to read contemporary attitudes back onto history.
—Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2023
All of which tends to confirm Mr. Sweet’s observations about the perils of presentism and activism.
—Dominic Green, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022
This means valuing presentism over actual productivity, which inadvertently promotes pretending to work rather than work, and political maneuvering over value creation and merit.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2022
The presentism that Hartog fleshed out in his writing is a cynical worldview devoid of vision.
—Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 12 July 2020
This is not a case of presentism, that historical sin of applying present-day virtues upon the past.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Oct. 2020
Hartog is quick to point out that this idea of presentism doesn’t explain all of modern life’s conundrums.
—Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 12 July 2020
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Gerard Baker, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2024
On the one hand, Mr. Robertson rejects presentism.
—Jeffrey Collins, WSJ, 12 Mar. 2021
Historians often refer to this error as presentism, the tendency to read contemporary attitudes back onto history.
—Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2023
All of which tends to confirm Mr. Sweet’s observations about the perils of presentism and activism.
—Dominic Green, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022
This means valuing presentism over actual productivity, which inadvertently promotes pretending to work rather than work, and political maneuvering over value creation and merit.
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2022
The presentism that Hartog fleshed out in his writing is a cynical worldview devoid of vision.
—Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 12 July 2020
This is not a case of presentism, that historical sin of applying present-day virtues upon the past.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Oct. 2020
Hartog is quick to point out that this idea of presentism doesn’t explain all of modern life’s conundrums.
—Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 12 July 2020
Cite this Entry
“Presentism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presentism. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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