recent

adjective

re·​cent ˈrē-sᵊnt 

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

Russia has taken control of that title in recent years, and there aren’t as many high-end Finnish options for international events as there used to be. —Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024

Lowering corporate income taxes has never actually trickled down to wage earners, or even investment in new factories, as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities noted in a recent study. —Peter Green, Quartz, 9 Nov. 2024

Almost all of the Black spokespeople in symbolic capitalist spaces are either mixed race or recent immigrant Black heritage. —Sean Illing, Vox, 9 Nov. 2024

The two hurricanes were among the most destructive in recent memory. —Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

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

Phrases Containing recent

• of recent origin

Kids Definition

recent

adjective

re·​cent ˈrēs-ᵊnt 

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