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
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.
Another notable example of this transatlantic cooperation is the Italian government’s recent and unprecedented $21 million donation to Boston University (BU) for biomedical research. Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024 Tensions also remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. David Brennan, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024 Beijing has unveiled a string of aggressive measures in recent months aimed at bolstering growth, including cutting interest rates, cancelling restrictions on homebuying and easing the debt burden on local governments. Jason Ma, Fortune Asia, 16 Dec. 2024 Advertisement In recent months, the monitors have regularly recorded the gas at much lower levels, around 1 to 3 ppb, though spikes have occurred. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for recent 

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 20 Dec. 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
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