Synonyms

recently

American

[ree-suhnt-lee] / ˈri sənt li /

adverb

a relatively short time ago, or during the last short while; lately.

It wasn't something I had really thought about until recently, when we discussed it in one of my Media classes.
Recently there has been a lot of interest in the use of computer games as innovative educational tools.

Other Word Forms

quasi-recently adverb

Etymology

Origin of recently

recent ( def. ) + -ly

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.

She described them recently as an amazing group of people who understood each other.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026

While Bieber has recently played smaller shows, Coachella is expected to mark his full-scale comeback.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Until recently, Davis calculated that he made about $50 for each one-way trip to the airport, when figuring in gas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

World Cup winners Stratford, Abbie Ward and Rosie Galligan, who have all played in the second row under John Mitchell, all recently announced their pregnancies.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

“Let me introduce you to Etta. She’s a longtime nurse and was recently promoted to director of Shady Glen. She’s a good friend of mine,” the social worker said, and led him to a door.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

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