current

1 of 2

adjective

cur·rent ˈkər-ənt

ˈkə-rənt

Synonyms of current next

a(1)

: occurring in or existing at the present time

the current crisis

current supplies

current needs

(2)

: presently elapsing

the current year

(3)

: most recent

the magazine's current issue

the current survey

archaic : running, flowing

: generally accepted, used, practiced, or prevalent at the moment

current fashions

current ideas about education

: used as a medium of exchange

currentness noun

current

2 of 2

noun

: the part of a fluid body (such as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction

: the swiftest part of a stream

: a tidal or nontidal movement of lake or ocean water

: flow marked by force or strength

: a tendency or course of events that is usually the result of an interplay of forces

currents of public opinion

: a prevailing mood : strain

: a flow of electric charge

also : the rate of such flow

Choose the Right Synonym for current

tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction.

tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces

the drift of the population away from large cities

or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

got the drift of her argument

tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

Example Sentences

Adjective The dictionary's current edition has 10,000 new words. Who is your current employer? We need to keep current with the latest information. Noun Strong currents pulled the swimmer out to sea. Air currents carried the balloon for miles. The circuit supplies current to the saw. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Now the pandemic and the current labor climate in Los Angeles has those investors whipsawing back and forth. —

Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 June 2023 The coupe's price is about $844,000 at current exchange rates. —

Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 29 June 2023 Payroll numbers remain strong but must be discounted, since every post-World War II recession arrived with payroll expansion, in most cases exceeding the current rate. —

Douglas Carr, National Review, 29 June 2023 Its current owner is attempting to revive the plant. —

Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 29 June 2023 Kids were also allowed to both compete and spectate, which didn’t bode well given the current sociopolitical climate. —

Spenser Mestel, Men's Health, 29 June 2023 But Barbas’s endorsement of the Sullivan decision is more nuanced than those of Lewis and Edmondson, and more reflective of the current moment. —

Jeffrey Toobin, The New York Review of Books, 29 June 2023 But moving qubits long distances — over 100 miles, say — without losing their quantum data is impossible with current networks. —

Aaron Pressman, BostonGlobe.com, 29 June 2023 On the current route, the robo-taxi can take four Zoox employees at a time along a public road at a speed of up to 35 mph. —

Bydavid Meyer, Fortune, 28 June 2023

Noun

Teresa Bals-Elsholz, a professor of meteorology at Valparaiso University, explained that the smoke, which originated in Canada’s eastern provinces, was carried to the region by an air current running counter clockwise when viewed from above. —

Alex Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2023 Single red flags indicating high surf and strong currents are currently posted in PCB. —

Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 27 June 2023 This exchange mostly occurs in deeper water, with currents carrying warm and relatively salty Atlantic water north. —

WIRED, 24 June 2023 Rip currents are fast-moving currents created by deeper channels in surrounding sandbars. —

Nathan Cobb, USA TODAY, 21 June 2023 The currents even polish the shells, leaving them smooth and spotless. 07 Shell Island, Near Panama City Beach, Florida The pickings have to be good to earn a name like Shell Island. —

Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 June 2023 Rahm was one of six Sun Devils (four former, one current, one incoming) who played in the major at Los Angeles Country Club. —

Todd Kelly, The Arizona Republic, 19 June 2023 The warm-up is being moderated by ocean currents, which are bringing unseasonably cold water south to the county’s coastal zone. —

Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 June 2023 In the cool and dry season (June through December), the colder currents dominate and the water temperature dips low. —

Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'current.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latininization of Middle English corrant, curraunt, borrowed from Anglo-French curant, corant, present participle of coure, courir "to run, flow," going back to Latin currere "to run, roll, move swiftly, flow," going back to Indo-European *kr̥s-e- "run," whence also Greek epíkouros "helping, helper" (from *epíkorsos "running toward," with o-grade ablaut), Old Irish carr "cart, wagon," Welsh car "vehicle" (from Celtic *kr̥s-o-), and perhaps Germanic *hursa- horse entry 1

Note: The Indo-European base has generally been taken as a primary verb, though Latin is the only language in which it is so attested.

Noun

Latinization of Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Middle French courant, going back to Old French, noun derivative from corant, curant, present participle of coure, courir "to run, flow" — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of current was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Current.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/current. Accessed 9 Jul. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

current

1 of 2 adjective

cur·rent ˈkər-ənt

ˈkə-rənt

: now passing

the current month

: occurring in or belonging to the present time

current events

: generally accepted, used, or practiced

current customs

currently adverb

currentness noun

current

2 of 2 noun

: the part of a fluid body moving continuously in a certain direction

: the swiftest part of a stream

: general course or movement : trend

: a stream of electric charge

also : the rate of such movement

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English curraunt, coraunt "moving, flowing, running," from early French corant, curant "running," derived from Latin currere "to run" — related to corridor, courier, course, excursion, incur, occur