modernism

noun

Definition of modernismnext
as in term
a way of saying something that is particular to the present day; a modern speech form modernisms like "blog" and "life hack"

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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 modernism The house at 1174 Hillcrest Road was designed in 1958 by architect Rex Lotery and mixes modernism and French Regency style. — Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2026 In the years that followed, American landscape painting was shuffled off to storage to make room for modernism, and paintings like Church’s, with their glassy finishes and profuse detail, came to seem the embodiment of fuddy-duddy. — Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026 Yet her modernism radiated a belief in the harmony between humans and nature. — Air Mail, 13 June 2026 The lens widened further to embrace categories of practice not conventionally regarded as art, most prominently, craft; here, too, the art establishment focused on textiles and ceramics engaged with an existing modernism, as opposed to the 1970s focus on regional and communal networks. — Katy Siegel, Artforum, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for modernism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modernism
  1. term
  2. neologism
  3. colloquialism
  4. phrase
  5. euphemism
  6. coinage
  7. expression
  8. loanword
Noun
  • Presidential vacations—or, where the presidents spend summers—are not vacations in the traditional sense of the term, but rather, a physical getaway from the White House in a scenic setting, usually accompanied by their families.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 26 July 2026
  • Spence leaves behind a stellar 28-2 record, including a six-year welterweight reign and wins over top contenders, ending his career on his own terms.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of term
Noun
  • Are these neologisms diagnosing modern phenomena or illuminating preëxisting cultural realities?
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2025
  • These neologisms weren’t just clever.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
Definition of neologism
Noun
  • Her vetting crusades have brought about a new Washington colloquialism.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The show chugged along nonetheless, gradually attracting fans who adored its stark cinematography and weirdo colloquialisms.
    — Claire McNear, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of colloquialism
Noun
  • That phrase may sound unusual at first but consider how operating systems actually work.
    — David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The phrase has been used in Australian coverage of rugby players, referees and other athletes.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of phrase
Noun
  • Tshabalala’s bluntness about the economic cost is the rare honest signal here; business will not be pacified by euphemisms.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 10 July 2026
  • The Execution Crisis Defined Rasmus Holst, CEO of Zensai, describes it without euphemism.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Definition of euphemism
Noun
  • That coinage quickly grew antiquated as programming costs necessitated steady price increases.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 July 2026
  • Lydians are widely recognized as the inventors of coinage, helping to make their capital, Sardis, synonymous with fabulous wealth in the ancient Mediterranean.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of coinage
Noun
  • The branzino – buttery, substantial and just the right amount of briny – is the most tangible, tasty expression of the theory.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • At an institution where nearly everything else has been muted, the most enduring expression of what the Kennedy Center once was now lives on its smallest stage.
    — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of expression
Noun
  • The English language comprises a hodgepodge of words borrowed from all over the globe, and a wide variety of those loanwords hail from the languages of India.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Which brings us to the ménage à trois — for some things, only a French loanword will do — between Hayley, Yasmin, and Henry, which exists at the opposite end of the boundary-setting spectrum.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of loanword

Browse Nearby Words

modern
modernism
modernisms
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Cite this Entry

“Modernism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modernism. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on modernism

Nglish: Translation of modernism for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about modernism

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