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Definitions

contemporary

[kuhn-tem-puh-rer-ee] / kənˈtɛm pəˌrɛr i /
ADJECTIVE
modern
Synonyms
STRONGEST
new present-day
STRONG
current instant latest mod now present recent today
WEAK
abreast au courant contempo existent extant hot off the press in fashion in vogue just out leading-edge newfangled red-hot state-of-the-art topical ultramodern up up-to-date up-to-the-minute voguish with it
Antonyms
STRONG
future old past
WEAK
old-fashioned preceding succeeding
ADJECTIVE
existing, occurring at same time
Synonyms
STRONG
attendant coeval concomitant current present
WEAK
accompanying associated coetaneous coexistent coexisting coincident concurrent connected contemporaneous linked related simultaneous synchronal synchronic synchronous
Antonyms
STRONG
absent past
WEAK
future old old-fashioned preceding succeeding

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Encased in blue chalcedony, set with diamonds and hung from a black silk ribbon, the piece is a contemporary interpretation of Baillères’ Mexican heritage.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Olympics and Paralympics, at which time guests can look forward to expanded retail and dining offerings in the welcome pavilion, plus revamped galleries that allow for more contemporary presentation of the museum’s historic artifacts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

"We have no contemporary experience of war crimes trials being conducted in Australia," says Rothwell, one of Australia's leading experts in international law.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Oddly, the exhibition’s contemporary pieces mostly ignore the Shaker philosophy of staying simple.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Because rising sea levels continually flooded the shore, marshy Cape Cod did not fully lock into its contemporary configuration until about 1000 B.C.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann