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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 Their most recent appearance at the tournament before this one was in 1998, when Odegaard and Haaland were not even born. — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026 Last year, Maryland faced the deadliest heat season in over a decade with a total of 36 fatalities by the end of the heat season, according to the most recent data. — Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026 More recent features include Miral (2010), starring Freida Pinto, and the Vincent van Gogh biopic At Eternity’s Gate (2018), with Willem Dafoe, who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026 Letterboxd, founded in 2011, has been shopping itself to interested parties in recent months. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 10 July 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

The last, loudest horn would emit a sound similar to, if not more fierce than, the current average car horn sound.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 12 July 2026
That said, the case total so far is four times higher than at the same point last year, according to current CDC national data, which lag dramatically from what’s being reported by the states.

— Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of current

Adjective

But with many of the bosses atop those agencies exiting, a new concern over what that may mean is starting.

— Chris Tye, CBS News, 14 July 2026
That waterway has taken on new significance since the start of the war, as Saudi Arabia now diverts millions of barrels of crude there to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of new

Adjective

The façade is partially clad in white terra-cotta, an old-fashioned material that speaks to the neighborhood’s vintage architecture, but is used here in a contemporary way.

— Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Surrounded by olive trees, thyme, and lavender, Skinopi Lodge offers a contemporary take on traditional syrmata.

— Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026

Definition of contemporary

Adjective

On Tuesday alone, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo are all releasing their latest quarterly results.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
But that beacon became a target in late June and the South Bushwick community is left heartbroken.

— Allen Devlin, CBS News, 14 July 2026

Definition of late

Adjective

While newer schools featured modern amenities, Windsor Middle had largely remained unchanged.

— Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 14 July 2026
The old supermarket-style, functional interiors are gone, and in their place are sleek architectural details, a scattering of midcentury modern furniture and colorful LED screens broadcasting the M&S seasonal campaigns.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 13 July 2026

Definition of modern

Adjective

In the Green New Deal discussion, though, this hypothetical meat ban effectively functioned as metaphorical shortcut for progressive political overreach.

— David Rooney, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
By the early 1990s, Eugene had earned itself a reputation as a beacon of progressive-minded irreverence, drawing a pungent mix of weirdos, iconoclasts, and freethinkers.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 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 15 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of recent

adjective

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