modernisms

noun

plural of modernism
as in archaisms
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 modernisms The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag. — CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modernisms
  1. terms
  2. neologisms
  3. coinages
  4. phrases
  5. euphemisms
Noun
  • Everton would be interested in a deal for Grealish on the right terms.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • In its deals with creators, Podrophenia will provide upfront compensation as well as profit-sharing terms.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 July 2026
Definition of terms
Noun
  • These neologisms weren’t just clever.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
  • Podcasts, newsletters, and Words of the Year have popularized neologisms, etymologies, and usage trends.
    — Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025
Definition of neologisms
Noun
  • The author, a professor named Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, proved to have a knack not just for provocative legal essays but for coinages, too.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • There were a few coinages in the script, but 90 percent of the language is real.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
Definition of coinages
Noun
  • Spain is accustomed to welcoming visitors from around the world, but as always, learning a few phrases in the local language will go a long way.
    — Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
  • Consider putting quotation marks around names to search for them as exact phrases, and use city or state names and the subjects the person teaches to help narrow your search results.
    — Mollie Simon, ProPublica, 16 July 2026
Definition of phrases
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
  • Willmett and Harris are clearly uninterested in euphemisms, so there’s an exaggerated naivety to their lyrics.
    — Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026
Definition of euphemisms

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modernism
modernisms
modernist
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Cite this Entry

“Modernisms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modernisms. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on modernisms

Nglish: Translation of modernisms for Spanish Speakers

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