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modern 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmä-dərn How to pronounce modern (audio)
Definition of modernnext
as in new
being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles this hairstyle is absolutely the most modern fashion out there

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

modern

2 of 2

noun

as in liberal
a person with very modern ideas the leaders of the American suffragists were originally regarded by many people as uppity moderns who should have stayed in their place

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of modern
Adjective
Critics have noted the clear echoes in how the Nazis assaulted modern art. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026 The Sixth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, widely known as 301 Hospital, achieved this milestone in modern cardiology when its Senior Department of Cardiology performed this pioneering operation. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
For Göransson and Nolan, the ancient and the modern are not so far apart. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 12 May 2026 In the 1980s, a pavilion for Japanese art by Bruce Goff resembling a late modern shinto shrine materialized on the north end of LACMA’s 20-acre campus. — Bloomberg, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for modern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modern
  1. new
  2. liberal
  3. contemporary
  4. modernist
  5. stylish
  6. revolutionary
  7. fashionable
  8. current
Adjective
  • But if Jackson gets off to a slow start under a new coaching staff, including first-time play-caller Declan Doyle, there’s room to fall.
    — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There's a new, yet familiar, voice in Bo Nix's ear these days.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of new
Noun
  • McCready, a liberal who has advocated all things ObamaCare and former President Obama, started out quite well.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Collin is a French liberal, a believer in the celebratory triad of liberté, égalité, fraternité.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of liberal
Adjective
  • While the wider world has in recent decades fallen for the archipelago’s humble street food, there’s a rising number of contemporary chefs who are elevating the national cuisine on the global stage.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • There’s no question Andrew Scott, the 49-year-old Irish actor, has earned his position as one of the finest contemporary actors going.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of contemporary
Noun
  • At Grill, which celebrates its centennial this year, a recent renovation has restored the Weimar-era Art Deco design of German modernist Emil Fahrenkamp.
    — Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Here, age-old traditions fuse with contemporary flavors, archaeological marvels meet modernist museums, rugged peaks are juxtaposed against verdant plains, and stretches of sandy shorelines lead to charming inland villages.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of modernist
Adjective
  • Next on my list are a few pairs of new shoes that will be versatile and functional, but still stylish—I’m not asking much, right?
    — Natalie LaBarbera, InStyle, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Grab this stylish pair of wireless headphones today for just $79.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of stylish
Noun
  • The revolutionaries who led the offensive dominate the seats of power in Tehran.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Centrist Democrats are not socialists, not revolutionaries, and not disposed to blame Zionist conspiracies for every trouble in American life, including police brutality and urban gentrification.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolutionary
Adjective
  • At the fashionable Masel Tov restaurant, a poem by the Jewish wartime hero Hannah Szenes marks a fragment of wall, part of a ghetto where 70,000 Jewish people lived for several weeks between December 1944 and January 1945.
    — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Noel also praises Liam’s fashionable cool (Stone Island parka, big sunglasses, tambourine as a fascinator) and how much his frontman persona resonated with fans worldwide.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of fashionable
Adjective
  • In the event of an incident, the current system requires a medical team to reach the driver after an incident, make an assessment and then transfer him to the medical center.
    — Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The renovations were initially recommended by the current executive director and former vice president of facilities at the Kennedy Center, Matt Floca.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of current

Browse Nearby Words

moderators
modern
modernism
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Cite this Entry

“Modern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modern. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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