1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the immediate past : contemporary
the modern American family
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a period extending from a relevant remote past to the present time
modern history
2
: involving recent techniques, methods, or ideas : up-to-date
modern methods of communication
3
capitalized
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of development of a language
Modern English
Synonyms
Examples of modern in a Sentence
Adjective
Water pollution is a growing problem in the modern world.
He's known as the father of modern medicine.
The English that was spoken by William Shakespeare is very different from the modern English spoken today.
She is learning Modern Greek.
They live in one of the most modern cities in the world.
modern methods of communication including e-mail and the Internet
She cut her long hair for a modern look.
He made his old-fashioned apartment look more modern by changing the color of the walls and buying new furniture.
Their latest movie is a modern version of a classic children's story.
She has modern ideas about dating and marriage.
Noun
the leaders of the American suffragists were originally regarded by many people as uppity moderns who should have stayed in their place
Recent Examples on the Web
Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024
Building self-sustaining, modern waste systems globally won’t be cheap.
—Jim Fitterling, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
Based in Taiwan for the past decade, his work focuses on migration and diaspora of Southeast Asians in modern Asia.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
Yet most of those efforts, frankly, are flops—ineffective, impractical, even bizarre ways to force romance to unfold in a manner that isn’t natural to modern courtship.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
Besides his composition, his work as a pianist specializing in modern music is prodigious and impressive, with numerous world premieres.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2024
Lucas said that some people came to him seeking tradition, fed up with the way modern Christianity is connected to the latest trends of society.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024
With its soaring vaulted ceilings, skylights, and meticulously crafted details, modern living is effortlessly embraced.
—Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
Sotheby’s Book Week will this year be led by an extraordinary collection of modern literature.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2024
Sara B. Hansen, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024
Unlike its Art Deco predecessors, finished in wood and bronze, the S.S. U.S. was mid-century modern, its upper works all aluminum, intended to look to the future and also be completely fire-resistant.
—Brittany Murray/medianews Group/long Beach Press-Telegram Via Getty Images, Curbed, 19 Jan. 2024
To be resilient moderns, Jews needed, rather, a liberal nation rooted in the Hebrew language and a part of the ancient territory; a new Hebrew culture of poets like Hayim Nahman Bialik and, later, Nathan Alterman.
—Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
If mid-century modern is your vibe, this royal blue velvet couch that’s 63 percent off would make a stunning addition to your living room.
—Alex Nelson, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
Welcome back to this blend of mid-century modern and a kitschy take on Americana.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2023
From Victorian to mid-century modern, there’s a palette for that
Standing in front of an array of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of two- or three-inch paint chips at the hardware store can be intimidating.
—Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023
If Scandinavian modern is more your speed, keep your cabinets natural and paint the walls a subtle pastel.
—Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023
Here’s a handsome midcentury modern that just hit the market: Awkward interior remodels of a 1960 house at 6323 N.W. Manor Drive in Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood have been replaced by thoughtful renovations conceived by the owners and executed by Epic Construction.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 13 Sep. 2023
Adjective
Thanks to its beige stucco exterior and being engulfed in greenery, the house sits discreetly in the landscape, while its modern interiors are full of character.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024
Building self-sustaining, modern waste systems globally won’t be cheap.
—Jim Fitterling, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024
Based in Taiwan for the past decade, his work focuses on migration and diaspora of Southeast Asians in modern Asia.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024
Yet most of those efforts, frankly, are flops—ineffective, impractical, even bizarre ways to force romance to unfold in a manner that isn’t natural to modern courtship.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
Besides his composition, his work as a pianist specializing in modern music is prodigious and impressive, with numerous world premieres.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2024
Lucas said that some people came to him seeking tradition, fed up with the way modern Christianity is connected to the latest trends of society.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024
With its soaring vaulted ceilings, skylights, and meticulously crafted details, modern living is effortlessly embraced.
—Bang Advertising Staff and Correspondents, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
Sotheby’s Book Week will this year be led by an extraordinary collection of modern literature.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
The midcentury modern remodeled by Brad Burch at IndexAD features views of Boulder and the mountains and backs to open space.
—Sara B. Hansen, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2024
Unlike its Art Deco predecessors, finished in wood and bronze, the S.S. U.S. was mid-century modern, its upper works all aluminum, intended to look to the future and also be completely fire-resistant.
—Brittany Murray/medianews Group/long Beach Press-Telegram Via Getty Images, Curbed, 19 Jan. 2024
To be resilient moderns, Jews needed, rather, a liberal nation rooted in the Hebrew language and a part of the ancient territory; a new Hebrew culture of poets like Hayim Nahman Bialik and, later, Nathan Alterman.
—Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
If mid-century modern is your vibe, this royal blue velvet couch that’s 63 percent off would make a stunning addition to your living room.
—Alex Nelson, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
Welcome back to this blend of mid-century modern and a kitschy take on Americana.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2023
From Victorian to mid-century modern, there’s a palette for that
Standing in front of an array of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of two- or three-inch paint chips at the hardware store can be intimidating.
—Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2023
If Scandinavian modern is more your speed, keep your cabinets natural and paint the walls a subtle pastel.
—Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 9 Aug. 2023
Here’s a handsome midcentury modern that just hit the market: Awkward interior remodels of a 1960 house at 6323 N.W. Manor Drive in Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood have been replaced by thoughtful renovations conceived by the owners and executed by Epic Construction.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 13 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'modern.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to modern
Dictionary Entries Near modern
Cite this Entry
“Modern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modern. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
modern
1 of 2 adjective
mod·ern
ˈmäd-ərn 
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the present or the recent past
2
: of or relating to the period from about 1500 to the present
modern history
Modern English
modern
2 of 2 noun
: a person of modern times or ideas
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share