current

1 of 2

adjective

cur·​rent ˈkər-ənt How to pronounce current (audio)
ˈkə-rənt
1
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
b
archaic : running, flowing
2
: generally accepted, used, practiced, or prevalent at the moment
current fashions
current ideas about education
3
: used as a medium of exchange
currentness noun

current

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the part of a fluid body (such as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction
b
: the swiftest part of a stream
c
: a tidal or nontidal movement of lake or ocean water
d
: flow marked by force or strength
2
a
: a tendency or course of events that is usually the result of an interplay of forces
currents of public opinion
b
: a prevailing mood : strain
3
: 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

Examples of current in a Sentence

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Most exchange offices in or around the historic bazaar are offering to buy dollars at exchange rates even better than the current market rate to meet the soaring demand. Scott McLean, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 The second resolution touts the city's past and current efforts to alleviate housing affordability issues and asks for higher developer fees to pay for a new planning staff position. Stacy Ryburn, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2024 In June 2020, Aliu helped co-found the Hockey Diversity Alliance with several current and former NHL players, including former Sharks forwards Anthony Duclair, Joel Ward, and Evander Kane, who has since left the group. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 El Portal's current owners are also longtime community activists Located at the corner of Grant Street and Second Avenue, El Portal is open for breakfast and lunch, offering a menu of enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas and menudo. The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 According to the Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index, created by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam PhD researcher Alex De Vries, at current rates the bitcoin market alone has a carbon footprint of 97.14 megatonnes of CO2, similar to the entire annual carbon footprint of Kuwait. Andrew Kersley, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024 In these countries, the current exchange rate will be your greatest ally. Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Mar. 2024 The company offers a system that lets advertisers comb through a database of recent, current and in-production content that is believed to attract the consumers most likely to be interested in their goods or services. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 The struggles in recent years, including the current season, are largely due to bad coaching. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
This unexpected effect is also reversible—switching the direction of the electric current often easily separates the materials, scientists at the University of Maryland say. IEEE Spectrum, 19 Mar. 2024 Breaks in sedimentation indicated the presence of vigorous deep-sea currents, while continuous sedimentation represented calmer conditions. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024 Strong currents and large debris can threaten the safety of pleasure craft during high flows, the agency said in the release. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2024 Great Lakes tribes and environmental groups worry that an oil spill in the Straits would devastate the region because it is considered the worst spot in the Great Lakes for an oil spill because of the location and the strength of the currents. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 Scientists have been increasingly sounding the alarm about the health of this critical system of currents. Laura Paddison, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 The Sheriff’s Department offered these tips for safe crossing: Stick to calmer sections of the current. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Additionally, Apfel's adaptability and dedication to innovation underscored the significance of remaining current in a rapidly evolving landscape. Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024

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

Dictionary Entries Near current

Cite this Entry

“Current.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/current. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

current

1 of 2 adjective
cur·​rent ˈkər-ənt How to pronounce current (audio)
ˈkə-rənt
1
a
: now passing
the current month
b
: occurring in or belonging to the present time
current events
2
: generally accepted, used, or practiced
current customs
currently adverb
currentness noun

current

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: the part of a fluid body moving continuously in a certain direction
b
: the swiftest part of a stream
2
: general course or movement : trend
3
: 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

Medical Definition

current

noun
1
: the part of a fluid body (as air or water) moving continuously in a certain direction
2
: a flow of electric charge
also : the rate of such flow

More from Merriam-Webster on current

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!