recent

adjective

re·​cent ˈrē-sᵊnt How to pronounce recent (audio)
1
a
: having lately come into existence : new, fresh
b
: of or relating to a time not long past
2
capitalized : holocene
recentness noun

Examples of recent in a Sentence

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. That was the biggest earthquake in recent history.
Recent Examples on the Web Unlike the recent computer problems at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside and the monthlong operations problems at Scripps Health in 2021, the cause of the latest problem, officials said, had nothing to do with hackers attempting to hold information hostage for ransom. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 Labor force growth has come from two big sources in recent years: Immigration has picked up, and labor force participation has been recovering after falling during the pandemic. Jeanna Smialek, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Paltrow joined a growing list of actors, including Paul Dano and Taika Waititi, who have opened up about superhero fatigue that’s hit the film industry in recent years. Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024 Trending on Billboard Monday’s objections highlight a recent rift between Katherine and Blanket. Bill Donahue, Billboard, 21 Mar. 2024 Continuing the company's recent penchant for hiding text on watches, Omega placed a quote from Snoopy’s comic strip in the moons and stars that can be seen under UV light. Jeremy White, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024 After a brief reaction from Fallon, the Saturday Night Live alum shared his recent experience with the medication. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 But homeownership can still happen for millennials and Gen Zers, Fannie Mae CEO Priscilla Almodovar told Fortune in a recent Leadership Next podcast episode. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 In recent years, the total volume of transfers has varied considerably. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin recent-, recens; perhaps akin to Greek kainos new

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of recent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near recent

Cite this Entry

“Recent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

recent

adjective
re·​cent ˈrēs-ᵊnt How to pronounce recent (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to a time not long past
recent history
b
: having lately appeared or come into existence : new, fresh
recent events
2
capitalized : holocene
recently adverb
recentness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!