current

USAGE SUMMARY

'current' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use 'current' to describe something that exists or is happening now, such as, "We are currently at a crossroads and must decide our next move."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Extending Ofcom's powers to enable it to take pre-emptive action would move it from its current position as a post-transmission regulator into the role of censor".

The Guardian

No matter what party a candidate represents, he has to take the current state of affairs into account".

The New York Times

"Scoring is not up, but injuries are up," Tallon said of the current rule last week.

The New York Times

The questioning was, even by the standards of the garrulous current court, unusually intense and pointed.

The New York Times

The pity is that the current government hasn't done more in this area.

The Guardian

The steps included increasing the broader retirement age to 65 and cutting public salaries to bring the deficit down from the current 13.6 percent of G.D.P. to less than 3 percent in 2014.

The New York Times

One was the sense, expressed by poet, actor and playwright Warsama, that the current media conversation was almost entirely one way.

The Guardian

Labour has already promised 25 hours of free care each week for parents of three- and four-year-olds – up from the current 15 hours.

The Guardian - Opinion

But current events will inevitably exacerbate the already established stereotype of the majority of young individuals as "thugs" and "gangsters", especially within the black community.

The Guardian - Opinion

The strength of feeling in the party was highlighted on Sunday when 20 current and former Tory constituency association chairmen delivered a letter to No 10 warning that the bill would inflict "significant damage" to the party in the runup to the next election.

The Guardian

Tom Smith was also very good at reacting to current events.' In 1917, you could buy suffragette crackers.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use “current” to describe trends, affairs, events, issues, and situations to mean they exist at the present time.

Common error

Avoid using "current" when you mean "recent" if the event or situation is no longer happening. "Current" implies that something is still in effect or ongoing.

Linguistic Context

The word "current" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate that something exists, is happening, or is in effect at the present time. As Ludwig AI suggests, it accurately describes the state of affairs at the moment.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "current" is a versatile adjective primarily used to describe something existing or happening at the present time. According to Ludwig AI, "current" is a correct and usable word in written English, often employed to specify the temporal context of a situation or event. It appears most frequently in "News & Media". When writing, remember that "current" implies something is still in effect, distinguishing it from "recent", which refers to the near past. Alternatives include "present", "existing", and "contemporary". Use “current” to describe trends, affairs, events, issues, and situations to mean they exist at the present time. “Current” can be used to refer to a body of water moving in a specified direction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

present

Replaces "current" with a more general term for existing in the present time.

existing

Focuses on the state of being in existence at the present time.

contemporary

Emphasizes the modern or up-to-date nature of something.

latest

Highlights that something is the newest or most recent.

prevailing

Indicates something is widespread or dominant at the moment.

ongoing

Stresses the continuous nature of something happening now.

up-to-date

Highlights that something is modern and includes the most recent information.

newest

Emphasizes the novelty or recentness of something.

in vogue

Implies that something is fashionable or trendy right now.

in effect

Highlights that a rule or law is presently active or operational.

FAQs

How to use "current" in a sentence?

You can use "current" to describe something existing or happening now. For example, "What is the "current status" of the project?"

What can I say instead of "current"?

You can use alternatives like "present", "existing", or "contemporary" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "current situation" or "actual situation"?

"Current situation" refers to the situation happening now, while "actual situation" refers to the true state of affairs, which may or may not be happening now.

What's the difference between "current" and "recent"?

"Current" refers to something happening or existing now, while "recent" refers to something that happened in the near past but may not be happening now.