as in liberal
a person with very modern ideas
a time when Paris was the center of the universe for modernists in the art world
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Recent Examples of modernist
Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
Find mix-and-match patterns, sculptural light fixtures, and sleek furniture, whether that’s the look-at-me bar in green, or the slender modernist seats.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Thornton is working on a beach condo with a throwback modernist vibe, and while most of the flooring is terrazzo, her team used plush wall-to-wall carpets for the bedrooms in shades of periwinkle, lilac and mint.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
This is part of the book’s perverse brilliance, its sense of good old-fashioned modernist fun.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
The modernist gem was last sold to virologist Nathan Wolfe and his playwright wife Lauren Gunderson for around $5 million in 2021 and was subsequently renovated; it has just been relisted for a dash under $7 million.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025
The space is essential and assertive, a modernist home conceived by NDA Noël Dominguez Architecte, a firm that specializes in the dynamic renovations of existing homes.
—Amir Capogrossi Badreddine, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
The new 146,000-square-foot complex of nine interlocking modernist pavilions, built on the site of the former building that was demolished in 2021, almost doubles the museum’s size.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Welcome to The Saturn Haus, a sophisticated desert masterpiece that serves as a modernist sanctuary in Joshua Tree, California.
—Tj MacIas, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The center, which offers free music instruction to disadvantaged children, was carved out of a modernist bank building in downtown Inglewood that had been repurposed as a Burger King.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025
Kay studied English literature, favoring modules on sparse modernist poetry to ones on lengthy Victorian novels.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Soon after the American invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussain on April 9, 2023, thousands of modernist paintings, prints, and photographs were looted from the Saddam Center of the Arts and other museums in Iraq.
—Nabil Salih, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Johnson’s modernist masterpiece is celebrated for its stunning stainless-steel frame and transparent glass that showcases its structure while providing uninterrupted views of the bucolic surroundings.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2025
The strong line and shapes, the colors that could electrocute somebody—there's a lot to appreciate when modernist restraint lets loose and has a bit of fun.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Nov. 2025
After World War II, Harvard Square was the nucleus of the design world, thanks largely to the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where architects who were fleeing Europe gravitated and shared their modernist ideas with students.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
Choose a finish that coordinates with the color scheme and style of your home, whether that is modernist, farmhouse, or bungalow.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
The designer, known for his sustainable approach to fashion, made the Mudac’s modernist building pop with a selection of his exuberant beaded creations, and covered an entire room in recycled colored plastic balls in a preview of his upcoming venture into interior design.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
Find mix-and-match patterns, sculptural light fixtures, and sleek furniture, whether that’s the look-at-me bar in green, or the slender modernist seats.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
Thornton is working on a beach condo with a throwback modernist vibe, and while most of the flooring is terrazzo, her team used plush wall-to-wall carpets for the bedrooms in shades of periwinkle, lilac and mint.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
This is part of the book’s perverse brilliance, its sense of good old-fashioned modernist fun.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
The modernist gem was last sold to virologist Nathan Wolfe and his playwright wife Lauren Gunderson for around $5 million in 2021 and was subsequently renovated; it has just been relisted for a dash under $7 million.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025
The space is essential and assertive, a modernist home conceived by NDA Noël Dominguez Architecte, a firm that specializes in the dynamic renovations of existing homes.
—Amir Capogrossi Badreddine, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
The new 146,000-square-foot complex of nine interlocking modernist pavilions, built on the site of the former building that was demolished in 2021, almost doubles the museum’s size.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Welcome to The Saturn Haus, a sophisticated desert masterpiece that serves as a modernist sanctuary in Joshua Tree, California.
—Tj MacIas, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The work’s enormous cruciform also resembles the face of a modernist-style clock from the 1960s—a typical appointment that would have appeared in any institute of learning during that period of McCall’s childhood.
—Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
The center, which offers free music instruction to disadvantaged children, was carved out of a modernist bank building in downtown Inglewood that had been repurposed as a Burger King.
—Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025
Kay studied English literature, favoring modules on sparse modernist poetry to ones on lengthy Victorian novels.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Soon after the American invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussain on April 9, 2023, thousands of modernist paintings, prints, and photographs were looted from the Saddam Center of the Arts and other museums in Iraq.
—Nabil Salih, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Johnson’s modernist masterpiece is celebrated for its stunning stainless-steel frame and transparent glass that showcases its structure while providing uninterrupted views of the bucolic surroundings.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2025
The strong line and shapes, the colors that could electrocute somebody—there's a lot to appreciate when modernist restraint lets loose and has a bit of fun.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Nov. 2025
After World War II, Harvard Square was the nucleus of the design world, thanks largely to the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where architects who were fleeing Europe gravitated and shared their modernist ideas with students.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
Choose a finish that coordinates with the color scheme and style of your home, whether that is modernist, farmhouse, or bungalow.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modernist
Noun
-
Though Reiner, a lifelong liberal, disagreed with Kirk's conservative beliefs, the filmmaker's remarks about the incident emphasized the importance of nonviolence.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Dec. 2025
-
Underly, a liberal, was reelected last year to a second term as state superintendent with strong support from teacher unions and state Democrats.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Their relaxed drape feels modern and unfussy, striking the right balance between polish and comfort.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
According to Makaym Dybenko, the system balances customization with military-standard compatibility, positioning DroneHunter Varta as a flexible counter-drone solution for modern combat environments.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Each robot, remotely operated, clinks glasses and gestures in unison, embodying the camaraderie and hope of the musical’s revolutionaries.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Paul’s youth and vigor comes with lots of risk, the work of prior revolutionaries threatened to be set back many years.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The style throughout, irrespective of category, is lively without being hectic, a pleasing postmodern blend of contemporary, midcentury, and roughly Victorian elements.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Those who despise Bacharach’s fluting tunes and David’s simple — if emotive — lyrics, consigning them to often denigrated genres such as easy listening, elevator music, adult contemporary or luxe pop.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Others suggested the 50-foot steel sculpture was a bird, a horse, a Viking ship, a baboon or a modernistic representation of Picasso’s dog.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The video below shows how the Kayoibako-K could fit into an ultramodern vision of work/life balance.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Also in Deer Valley is the ultramodern mansion featured in the HBO dystopian streamer Mountainhead.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Communism is most readily associated with the one-party dictatorships of the Soviet Union and present-day China.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
In a very rare and likely precedent-setting agreement, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston has agreed to return two works from 1857 by the Black potter David Drake, who made his ambitious jars while enslaved, to his present-day descendants.—
Jori Finkel,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Act fast to shop Amazon’s current hottest deals because prices aren’t guaranteed to last through the month.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The ardent fan can’t expect this running game to produce 164 yards in its current state; the reasonable fan of any NFL team can’t expect to go 10-for-18 on third- and fourth-downs, either.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Modernist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modernist. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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