Skip to content
WORDS, MADE CLEAR.
Your everyday English companion

Home/Thesaurus/current
Synonyms & antonyms

current Synonyms & Antonyms

ˈkər-ənt

What Is Another Word for Current?

Common synonyms for current are conventional, customary and going. Its opposites include nonstandard and unconventional.

Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.

Current as an Adjective

1

accepted, used, or practiced by most people

current wisdom on parenting favors allowing children lots of self-expression

Synonyms & similar words

Antonyms & near antonyms

Current as a Noun

1

a prevailing or general movement or inclination

the currents of fashion are always changing

Synonyms & similar words

2

noticeable movement of air in a particular direction

curtains that were being lightly lifted by a fresh current from the open window

Synonyms & similar words

Current in a Sentence

current events

current leaders

current negotiations

current affairs

current bills and coins

current fashions

current bill

current shock

current events;  current leaders;  current negotiations

current affairs;  current bills and coins;  current fashions

the current crisis

current supplies

current needs

the current year

the magazine's current issue

the current survey

current ideas about education

currents of public opinion

current wisdom on parenting favors allowing children lots of self-expression

current therapies for treating cancer have success rates that were undreamed of only a few decades ago

the current fund-raising effort

the currents of fashion are always changing

curtains that were being lightly lifted by a fresh current from the open window

the current crisis / current supplies / current needs

the magazine's current issue / the current survey

current fashions / current ideas about education

Word Forms & Grammar

cur·rent·ness noun

current

currentness

currentnesses

currents

currently

current (countable and uncountable, plural currents)

current (comparative currenter or more current, superlative currentest or most current)

Words That Rhyme With Current

concurrentrecurrentburntcrosscurrentintercurrentundercurrentlearntberntahrendtarantarentarhantbelvoir huntberndberndtcurrantfarrantgarantlamar huntparrenttarrant

Origin of Current

Origin 1: Latinization of Middle English corrant, curraunt, borrowed from Anglo-French curant, corant, present participle of coure, courir "to run, flow," going back to Latin currere "to run, roll, move swiftly, flow," going back to Indo-European *kr̥s-e- "run," whence also Greek epíkouros "helping, helper" (from *epíkorsos "running toward," with o-grade ablaut), Old Irish carr "cart, wagon," Welsh car "vehicle" (from Celtic *kr̥s-o-), and perhaps Germanic *hursa- horse:1

Origin 2: Latinization of Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Middle French courant, going back to Old French, noun derivative from corant, curant, present participle of coure, courir "to run, flow" current:1

Origin 3: From Middle English curraunt, borrowed from Old French curant (French courant), present participle of courre (“to run”), from Latin currere (“to run”) (present participle currens). Doublet of courant.

First Known Use

14th century

Quick Facts About Current

Part of speechadjective, noun
Pronunciation/ˈkər-ənt/
Syllables2
Meaningaccepted, used, or practiced by most people
Synonymsconventional, customary and going
Antonymsnonstandard, unconventional and unpopular
Pluralcurrents
Comparative / superlativecurrenter, currentest

Pronouncing Current

Current is pronounced /ˈkər-ənt/ and has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (kər).

Current: Your Questions Answered

Is current an adjective or a noun?

Current is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun.

What is a synonym for current as an adjective?

As an adjective, synonyms for current include conventional, customary, going and popular.

What is a synonym for current as a noun?

As a noun, synonyms for current include direction, drift, leaning and run.

What is the opposite of current?

The opposite of current can be expressed with words like nonstandard, unconventional, unpopular and unusual.

What is the plural of current?

The plural of current is currents.

More About Current On Meaning Stash

More Words Starting With “Curr”

Merriam-WebsterReference content from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary and Collegiate® Thesaurus © Merriam-Webster Inc.Data credits & licensing