modernity
noun
mo·der·ni·ty
mə-ˈdər-nə-tē 
mä-,
-ˈder-
1
: the quality or state of being or appearing to be modern
Such details as street lamps, telephone booths, mailboxes and manhole covers have been expensively recreated to recall a past that makes even young Hungarians nostalgic and Western tourists regret the flashy modernity of their cities.—
Henry Kamm
Henry KammHis early work portrayed the idiosyncratic behavior of his zany upper-class family whose wealth and quest for modernity impelled them to try out all the latest inventions and devices of the time, from electric razors to automobiles to flying machines.—Naomi Rosenblum
Naomi Rosenblum2
: the modern era or world and especially the ideas and attitudes associated with the modern world
For all his conservatism, Henry Adams's encounter with modernity led neither to romantic antiquarianism … nor to an intensified commitment to those very liberal arts that were under siege in a market society.—Peter N. Miller
Peter N. MillerExamples of modernity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New York — Pierre-Auguste Renoir was one of the leaders of the Impressionist school of painting, established in 1874 by a group of French artists, whose loose brushwork and brightly colored paints created a sense of spontaneity and modernity.
—Jane Levere, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The most captivating items were those that reinterpreted classic shapes with unexpected materials, offering a dialogue between craftsmanship and modernity.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Now more than ever, homeowners are seeking furniture that incorporates modernity and functionality, and our Ezra Oversized Coffee Table delivers.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
During the last five minutes of the interview, Wertheimer circled back to fashion, and that was when Blazy made his remark about modernity.
—Nathan Heller, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for modernity
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Jane Levere, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The most captivating items were those that reinterpreted classic shapes with unexpected materials, offering a dialogue between craftsmanship and modernity.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Now more than ever, homeowners are seeking furniture that incorporates modernity and functionality, and our Ezra Oversized Coffee Table delivers.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
During the last five minutes of the interview, Wertheimer circled back to fashion, and that was when Blazy made his remark about modernity.
—Nathan Heller, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for modernity
Cite this Entry
“Modernity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modernity. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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