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 He is credited with bringing modernism to the region, introducing local audiences to what was then still a brash way of painting that put emotions first and realism second. — Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 5 Oct. 2026 Simons and the Italian designer share a similar aesthetic hinged on modernism and occasionally futurism and even provocation. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026 Instead, Stierli believes, modernism was a powerful political weapon, so versatile and mutable that it could be turned against its creators. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026 The story of the relationships among these artists, in particular between the older Avery and the now–stratospherically famous Rothko, shows us American modernism in its moment of greatest transition. — Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 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
  • Some states, however, have chosen not to adopt the federal rule because of concerns about near-term revenue losses.
    — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Judge Andy Porter placed him under a term of deferred adjudication probation.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 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
  • But what struck me especially from your book is that de Gaulle was also just a very strange figure who would try to make these, in the Macron phrase, Jupiterian decisions.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • These kinds of phrases are grounding and can help contain some of that anxiety.
    — Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of phrase
Noun
  • Forty-one minutes later, the CFIA issued—Orwell would appreciate the agency’s flair for euphemism—a Notice to Dispose.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Orwell was exploring the roles that euphemism, tangled syntax, and dying metaphors can play in obscuring the true intentions of a totalitarian state.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of euphemism
Noun
  • Within a year of its onset, the economic depression practically eradicated the need to mint any new coinage for months.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As part of the yearlong celebration, the Mint is introducing one-year-only changes to familiar American coinage, including the circulating dime, quarter, and half dollar.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of coinage
Noun
  • Current facial recognition systems, originally developed for photographs, can compare faces despite differences in pose, lighting, expression, age, and image quality.
    — Karen Chernick, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Elaborate veils and rigid dress codes gradually gave way to more personal expressions of grief, while black dresses and tailoring became enduring wardrobe staples.
    — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 21 Oct. 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

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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 25 Oct. 2026.

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