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Synonyms

at present

Idioms  

  1. Also, at the present time. Now, as in I've not enough cash at present to lend you any, or At present the house is still occupied. This slightly longer way of saying “at this time” formerly was even longer——denoting a more specific time. [Mid-1600s] Also see at this point.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Trading oil at present is no plain sailing because transiting a tanker through the Strait of Hormuz is no plain sailing, either.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

There are an estimated 32,800 pregnant women in Cuba at present, according to government statistics.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

The critical missing link at present is a viable transitional government.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Markets are gripped by two kinds of risk at present, which can be broadly categorized as good and bad.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

Science magazine called it “the hottest public debate on medical ethics since the Nuremberg trials,” and said, “The situation at present appears rather perilous for everyone.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.