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

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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 In more recent years, BioWare has also been beset by a number of high-profile departures, including founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk in 2012 and longtime producer Mac Walters in 2023. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks have inflicted severe losses on the kingdom, with missiles hitting energy infrastructure and civilian airports, killing at least 20 people. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 That's certainly been the case with Slack, which, Jim noted, has accelerated in recent quarters and become an important prong to Salesforce's broader AI strategy. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 Darren Criss, who rose to mainstream fame playing Blaine Anderson on the show, has collected both a Tony and an Emmy in recent years. — Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 21 Oct. 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

Instead of relying on an external mechanical tool to move the molecule, the current itself powers the motion.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
If the current odds in all those states hold, the Democrats would win 18 out of 35 races and shift the majority from 53-47 for the Republicans to 52-48 for the Democrats.

— Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of current

Adjective

While Usher was off basking in the afterglow of Confessions, maturing into a divorcé in the mid-2000s, the R&B world was already priming itself for a new-school successor.

— Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
Many voters thank him for pulling Serbia from economic obscurity and orchestrating a period of sustained modernisation including new highways, railways, schools and hospitals.

— Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of new

Adjective

Nobody Wants This is back for a third season of dancing around the real issues of contemporary Judaism in America so that maybe Kristen Bell’s convert character Joanne can learn about hamantaschen rather than have one political conversation.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Its concept connects nostalgic dance music with contemporary party culture, creating a record designed to encourage movement and audience participation.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of contemporary

Adjective

Japanese flight controllers want to avoid powdery soil and rough terrain when the mothership, a four-legged stationary lander, descends to the surface to gather samples in late 2028 or 2029.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
The core elements—airy melodies, drug talk, copious ad-libs—are old hat, but frank tales of suburban ennui and romantic strife give the Minneapolis rapper’s latest album a refreshingly personal air.

— Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of late

Adjective

Advertisement China itself offers the greatest modern demonstration of what technological diffusion can accomplish.

— Keyu Jin, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
Indeed, even after modern jeans were invented in the late 19th century, denim continued to be used to make such apparel as work jackets, prison uniforms, naval fatigues, and jumpsuits.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of modern

Adjective

The false polling data from Wedgewood Polls consistently favored Democrats, particularly progressive candidates.

— Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
The tension between conservative and progressive Methodists had been simmering for years.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 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 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of recent

adjective

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