Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

recent

American  
[ree-suhnt] / ˈri sənt /

adjective

  1. of late occurrence, appearance, or origin; lately happening, done, made, etc..

    recent events; a recent trip.

    Synonyms:
    new, fresh
    Antonyms:
    old, early
  2. not long past.

    in recent years.

  3. of or belonging to a time not long past.

  4. Geology. Recent. noting or pertaining to the present epoch, originating at the end of the glacial period, about 10,000 years ago, and forming the latter half of the Quaternary Period; Holocene.


noun

  1. Also called HoloceneGeology. Recent. the Recent Epoch or Series.

Recent 1 British  
/ ˈriːsənt /

adjective

  1. geology another word for Holocene

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

recent 2 British  
/ ˈriːsənt /

adjective

  1. having appeared, happened, or been made not long ago; modern, fresh, or new

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Recent Scientific  
/ rēsənt /
  1. See Holocene


Related Words

See modern.

Other Word Forms

  • quasi-recent adjective
  • recency noun
  • recently adverb
  • recentness noun

Etymology

Origin of recent

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin recent- (stem of recēns ) “fresh, new”

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.

Britain's economy grew more than expected in November, official data showed Thursday, handing a boost to the Labour government after recent weak figures.

From Barron's

The five-time Wimbledon winner and two-time US Open champion has played infrequently in recent seasons.

From Barron's

On a recent morning, Mike, a charismatic, middle-aged chimp, ambled along the savannah floor, baobab fruit dangling by a stem from his mouth -- a snack for later -- as Sadiakhou watched.

From Barron's

The results show that recent fire levels are the highest on record, driven by the spread of woody vegetation and increasingly dry soils.

From Science Daily

The furry Labubu dolls have surged in popularity around the world in recent years and are best known for selling toys in "blind boxes", which hide its content from buyers until it is opened.

From BBC