current 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkər-ənt How to pronounce current (audio)
Definition of currentnext
1
as in conventional
accepted, used, or practiced by most people current wisdom on parenting favors allowing children lots of self-expression

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in new
being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles current therapies for treating cancer have success rates that were undreamed of only a few decades ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in present
existing or in progress right now the current fund-raising effort

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

current

2 of 2

noun

1
as in direction
a prevailing or general movement or inclination the currents of fashion are always changing

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in wind
noticeable movement of air in a particular direction curtains that were being lightly lifted by a fresh current from the open window

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word current different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of current are drift, tendency, tenor, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When would drift be a good substitute for current?

While in some cases nearly identical to current, drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

When might tendency be a better fit than current?

While the synonyms tendency and current are close in meaning, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

In what contexts can tenor take the place of current?

The words tenor and current can be used in similar contexts, but tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When can trend be used instead of current?

The meanings of trend and current largely overlap; however, trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of current
Adjective
The vicious cycle of the current model, of course, is that to become marketable a team needs to get and retain good players, and to do that a school has to spend money, which cycles the whole thing back to the start. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 As with nearly all current 4K room-to-room projectors, the N3 Ultimate uses a 1,920-by-1,080-pixel DLP chip and TI's fast-switch pixel shifting to put a 3,840-by-2,160-pixel image on the screen. — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
Their answer is a study, described in Advanced Energy Materials, that turns indoor humidity into a small electric current. — New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026 Air, too, is a fluid, its turbulence produced by competing currents and changing temperatures. — Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for current
Recent Examples of Synonyms for current
  1. conventional
  2. new
  3. present
  4. direction
  5. wind
  6. usual
  7. modern
  8. ongoing
Adjective
  • Compared to conventional microscopes, the Airscope offers a complete upgrade in neural imaging.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Grid current passes through silicon carbide transistors that switch at high frequency before sending it through a small conventional transformer, preserving the essential electrical isolation between the grid and everything downstream.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of conventional
Adjective
  • While Usher was off basking in the afterglow of Confessions, maturing into a divorcé in the mid-2000s, the R&B world was already priming itself for a new-school successor.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Many voters thank him ​for pulling Serbia from economic obscurity and orchestrating a period of sustained modernisation including new highways, railways, schools and hospitals.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of new
Adjective
  • Although there’s nothing explicitly internet-y about this EP, the digital is present as a background chorus.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The molecules researchers want to detect are often present in tiny amounts, so their signals are faint.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of present
Noun
  • Brennan said his letter was based on direction offered by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in November.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Reversing the voltage’s polarity reversed the direction of rotation.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of direction
Noun
  • Helium plays an important role in wind, solar and nuclear energy production, space exploration, medical imaging and research.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Gradually, contributions from nuclear fission and solar-, water-, and wind-power have augmented our supply.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wind
Adjective
  • Murray says her own experience has made her more understanding when female colleagues seem more tired or irritable than usual, particularly when the behavior is out of character.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Its warped vocal harmonies are ripe and sour, including guest appearances from the band’s friends, and off-kilter squiggles on steel guitar deviate from their usual pattern.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • Advertisement China itself offers the greatest modern demonstration of what technological diffusion can accomplish.
    — Keyu Jin, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, even after modern jeans were invented in the late 19th century, denim continued to be used to make such apparel as work jackets, prison uniforms, naval fatigues, and jumpsuits.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of modern
Adjective
  • The classmate, Joleene Altum, sued Griffin for emotional distress and invasion of privacy, and Griffin countersued for defamation in a bitter, ongoing legal battle.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The investigation into the violence was ongoing, and police asked witnesses to come forward.
    — Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of ongoing

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currently
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Cite this Entry

“Current.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/current. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about current

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