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
The leap into modernity can feel like sliding into a featureless void, in which every transaction of any sort becomes hard to distinguish.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
NissanConnect’s integration with Google services and wireless smartphone connectivity adds a level of modernity the Leaf sorely needed.
—New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2025
The Ottoman spirit lives on through its picturesque cobblestone streets, 700-year-old homes with colorful façades, and a pace of life untouched by the rush of modernity.
—Engin Kadaster, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
At this point, there has been very little overt political commentary in the production, which otherwise points to modernity mainly in its language.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
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Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
NissanConnect’s integration with Google services and wireless smartphone connectivity adds a level of modernity the Leaf sorely needed.
—New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2025
The Ottoman spirit lives on through its picturesque cobblestone streets, 700-year-old homes with colorful façades, and a pace of life untouched by the rush of modernity.
—Engin Kadaster, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
At this point, there has been very little overt political commentary in the production, which otherwise points to modernity mainly in its language.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 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 5 Jan. 2026.
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