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
Camping became another popular, and more affordable, option for vacations from modernity.
—Time, 3 June 2025
The irony is that Seabrook Farms was heralded in the press as a model of racial harmony and modernity.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
By understanding that maintaining tradition and embracing modernity is not zero sum.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Around this time, discussions were being held about modernity and how might art and architecture be part of the formation of a national identity.
—Derrick Bryson Taylor, New York Times, 30 May 2025
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Time, 3 June 2025
The irony is that Seabrook Farms was heralded in the press as a model of racial harmony and modernity.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
By understanding that maintaining tradition and embracing modernity is not zero sum.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Around this time, discussions were being held about modernity and how might art and architecture be part of the formation of a national identity.
—Derrick Bryson Taylor, New York Times, 30 May 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 15 Jun. 2025.
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