postmodern

adjective

post·​mod·​ern ˌpōs(t)-ˈmä-dərn 

 nonstandard  -ˈmä-d(ə-)rən

1

: of, relating to, or being an era after a modern one

postmodern times

a postmodern metropolis

2

a

: of, relating to, or being any of various movements in reaction to modernism that are typically characterized by a return to traditional materials and forms (as in architecture) or by ironic self-reference and absurdity (as in literature)

b

: of, relating to, or being a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language

postmodern feminism

postmodernism

ˌpōs(t)-ˈmä-dər-ˌni-zəm 

noun

postmodernist

ˌpōs(t)-ˈmä-dər-nist 

adjective or noun

postmodernity

ˌpōs(t)-mə-ˈdər-ne-tē 

-mä-

 also  -ˈder-

noun

Examples of postmodern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its snappy, postmodern unfurling, rife with intentionally obvious rear projections, does eventually give way to moving dimensions as the family’s history fades into view, but few political or personal elements amount to anything poignant. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025

Over 50 other models are on display, too, including the Hallock & McMillan Building, Wells Fargo Center and the Portland Building, a postmodern masterpiece. —Meira Gebel, Axios, 14 Feb. 2025

And inspired by Michael Graves, Levine made his daughters a pair of postmodern dollhouses: a slick white tower that closes up like a cabinet and a simplified Pantheon, with its sides opened up and its columns painted teal. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 13 Feb. 2025

From the dining table unearthed at a flea market in Provence to the postmodern chair sourced from a local gallery, every piece tells a story. —Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for postmodern

• premodern
• modern