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noun

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as in wind
noticeable movement of air in a particular direction curtains that were being lightly lifted by a fresh current from the open window

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word current different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of current are drift, tendency, tenor, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When would drift be a good substitute for current?

While in some cases nearly identical to current, drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

When might tendency be a better fit than current?

While the synonyms tendency and current are close in meaning, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

In what contexts can tenor take the place of current?

The words tenor and current can be used in similar contexts, but tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When can trend be used instead of current?

The meanings of trend and current largely overlap; however, trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

Examples 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 current
Adjective
Jeffersontown City Council There were 16 candidates competing for Jeffersontown's eight council seats, which included each of the current members. Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Nov. 2024 This is a change from the current situation where the iPhone 16 display measures 6.1 inches while the Pro display is 6.3 inches. David Phelan, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
Noun
Hampton’s raft didn’t have a motor, and the current could propel them downstream into unseen hazards. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024 And the current was coming under our boat and pushing us, more and more into sort of a vertical position against the rock. Outside Online, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for current 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for current
Adjective
  • None of the shows will be in locations that look like a conventional gallery space.
    Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 5 Nov. 2024
  • While Trump has been a vocal supporter of conventional oil & gas companies, Harris has sided with renewable energy companies.
    Trefis Team, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • On Thursday morning, new evacuations were ordered for areas of Santa Paula and Bardsdale, along the Santa Clara River, and up to the west edge of Moorpark.
    Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Copied Share Ravens unveiling new uniforms NBC News Copied Share Lamar Jackson has found success vs. Bengals NBC News Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is 9-1 against the Bengals in his career.
    NBC News, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Some Mac-friendly features were introduced in earlier versions and are still present here, like multi-touch gestures.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
  • However, many parts of the brain or cortex are not fully active if external simulations aren’t present.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • By pairing two drivers to vibrate in opposite directions, the technology allows for bigger sound with fewer distortions.
    Brian Westover, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Does will come from several directions, converge in the corner, and make their way back into the timber.
    Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Some places on Jupiter have winds of more than 400 mph (about 640 kilometers per hour), about three times faster than a Category 5 hurricane on Earth.
    Benjamin Roulston, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
  • After landfall, the storm weakened to a Category 2 with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and was moving northwest at 13 mph.
    Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Sky noted that the prince seemed more relaxed than usual at his Earthshot Prize.
    Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • This app is by no means intended to replace your usual antivirus.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The movie’s true set pieces are the professorial villain’s ostentatious monologues using fast food, musical plagiarism, and Monopoly as metaphors to point out how modern religions are just conspicuous iterations of what’s come before.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • What was once a niche for ultra-cheap laptops for students has expanded radically as Chrome OS becomes more powerful and versatile, and modern Chromebooks are faster and more capable than ever before while still being hundreds of dollars cheaper than the competition.
    K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The incident was declared under control at 1:04 p.m. Fire officials advised residents and travelers to avoid the area between Foothill Boulevard and East 19th Street along 24th Avenue due to ongoing emergency response operations.
    Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
  • Listen to this article Denver is extending its cold-weather shelter hours through Saturday morning to protect homeless residents from an ongoing winter storm.
    Max Levy, The Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near current

Cite this Entry

“Current.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/current. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on current

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