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current

/ˈkʌrənt/
adjectivenoun★Intermediate— existing or happening now
general

existing or happening now

The current situation requires immediate action.

The present circumstances need to be addressed right away.

💡

Often used to describe the present state of affairs or ongoing events.

⚙️Engineering
technical

a flow of electricity or other fluid

The current in the circuit is too high.

The electrical flow in the circuit exceeds safe levels.

💡

In physics and engineering, this refers to the rate of flow of charge or fluid.

informal

the latest or most recent version of something

I need the current version of the software.

I need the most recent update of the software.

💡

Commonly used in technology and business contexts.

Collocations

current eventsnews and happenings in the present timecurrent affairsimportant issues being discussed nowelectric currentthe flow of electric charge

Synonyms

presentexistingongoinglatestrecent

Antonyms

pastformeroutdatedprevious

Related Phrases

in the current climatephrase
under the present circumstances
current affairsphrase
important issues being discussed now

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'current' depends heavily on context—whether it refers to time or flow.

⚡Gold Rule

Technical vs. General Use

In technical fields, 'current' often refers to electrical flow, while in general use, it refers to the present time.

📖Word Origin

From Old French 'courant', from Latin 'currens', present participle of 'currere' (to run).

📝Usage Notes

Can refer to time (present) or physical flow (electricity, water). Context determines meaning.

Word Breakdown

curr
to run or flow
root
+
-ent
present participle
suffix
English Dictionary

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