recent

adjective

re·​cent ˈrē-sᵊnt 

1

a

: having lately come into existence : new, fresh

b

: of or relating to a time not long past

2

Recent : holocene

recentness noun

Examples of recent in a Sentence

Recent events have brought attention to the problem.

I usually watch that show every week, but I missed the most recent episode.

Medical science has made amazing progress in recent decades.

That was the biggest earthquake in recent history.

Recent Examples on the Web

Japan considers China's rapidly growing military activities in and around Japan, including in the Pacific Ocean, as a threat and has fortified its southwestern region with longer-range missiles and interceptors in recent years. — Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026

And in a very recent experiment, quantum optical signals in a superposition of different states of light were communicated between South Africa and China over a distance of more than 12,900 kilometers. — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

The German athletic brand has kept its classic Samba shoe hyper relevant by introducing new variations, such as its recent slip-on version. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Bryan’s previous records have wallowed in the recent past; Young Manhood uses it like a piston into the future. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin recent-, recens; perhaps akin to Greek kainos new

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing recent

• of recent origin

Rhymes for recent

• decent
• puissant
• indecent

Kids Definition

recent

adjective

re·​cent ˈrēs-ᵊnt 

1

a

: of or relating to a time not long past

recent history

b

: having lately appeared or come into existence : new, fresh

recent events

2

capitalized : holocene

recently adverb

recentness noun