What does “recent” mean?
- 1
adjectivehaving happened or started only a short time ago
Recent studies show that sleep affects memory.
Recent at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- B1 (intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈrisənt/ · REE-sunt
How to use “recent” correctly
“In recent years” usually takes the present perfect: “Prices have risen in recent years.”
Common phrases with “recent”
- in recent years
- recent events
- recent changes
- most recent
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- new
- latest
Word family
“recent” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- current adjectiveB1happening or existing now
- former adjectiveB1having been a particular thing in the past, but not now
- ahead adverbB1in front of someone or something, or forward
- decade nounB1a period of ten years
- final adjectiveA2coming at the end; last
- generation nounB1all the people born and living at about the same time
- modern adjectiveA2of the present time or the recent past
- term nounB1a word or phrase with a particular meaning