RECENT Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

recent

adjective

Definition of recent

as in latest

happening or beginning not long ago Recent events have brought attention to the problem. I usually watch that show every week, but I missed the most recent episode. Medical science has made amazing progress in recent decades.

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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 recent The recent saga is just the latest in a long list of lawsuits regarding NCAA eligibility disputes. — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 In recent years, other actors on young adult shows have reached out to Stokes for advice on how to handle the rapid change. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026 Notable Turnover in US boardrooms has slowed, a recent Spencer Stuart analysis found, with this year marking the fewest number of new director appointments to S&P 500 companies for at least a decade. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026 In the wake of the most recent rulings, Hoskins has repeatedly boasted about his wins in court. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recent

Adjective

The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
The American Western drama is the latest of Taylor Sheridan's ever-growing Yellowstone franchise surrounding the legacy of the Dutton family from west of the Mississippi.

— Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 Feb. 2023

Definition of latest

Adjective

On the current forecast track, rain and gusty winds will arrive to the Big Island Saturday night and continue through the beginning of next week.

— Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that American negotiators had agreed to lower the current tariffs on cars and metals from 25% to 15%.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of current

Adjective

So in regard to the team’s new principal owners, a wait-and-see outlook is the only outlook that makes sense.

— Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
The production will mark the inaugural show at the Bridge Theatre, a 900-seat venue on the Thames near Tower Bridge, under its new ownership by Trafalgar Entertainment.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of new

Adjective

Though the building is clearly old (it was built in 1913), its shutters are a curiously contemporary shade of blue, sitting brightly next to the terra-cotta roof.

— Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
The hard-edge suitcase is now a coffee table that sits in the living room between the wood-burning fireplace and a sofa that’s the only significant piece of contemporary furniture.

— Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of contemporary

Adjective

Adames, who had an MRI on Monday, will miss more than 10 days, though manager Tony Vitello said the team is optimistic the veteran can return before the season ends in late September.

— Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Already, Ottawa has vowed to match Washington’s latest tariffs dollar for dollar.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of late

Adjective

Most people go to campgrounds to escape the plagues of modern technology, so try to keep the decibels to a minimum.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
During the Renaissance, Italians refined fencing into its modern form, and soon fencing schools began popping up all over Europe.

— Rebecca Leib, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of modern

Adjective

Black Americans were struggling against the legacy of Jim Crow, and Abdeen interned with Ernest Goodman, a civil-rights lawyer who was reviving the National Lawyers Guild, a collective of progressive legal professionals.

— Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Several political programs returned to the chart this quarter, including Mark Levin Podcast, Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, The David Pakman Show, Pivot, and Piers Morgan Uncensored, spanning both progressive and conservative audiences.

— Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of progressive

Browse Nearby Words

receiving

recent

recently

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“Recent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recent. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of recent

adjective

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