now 1 of 4

adverb

ˈnau̇ How to pronounce now (audio)
Definition of nownext
1
as in currently
at the present time that company doesn't make those toys now because they are unsafe

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lately
not long ago I was just now wondering what to do about those old clothes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sometimes
on some occasions goes now here, now there—all seemingly without plan or purpose

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in immediately
without delay come here right now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

now

2 of 4

adjective

as in downtown
keenly aware of and responsive to the latest developments especially in fashion and entertainment questioned the moral values of the now generation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

now

3 of 4

conjunction

as in because
for the reason that I'll repeat my question now that you are paying attention

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now

4 of 4

noun

as in today
the time currently existing or in progress I know I said you could go, but that was then and this is now

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of now
Adverb
That debt has not shrunk to match the smaller population now paying for it. — Lisa Nee, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 So when her son, Reed, now 15, was diagnosed with dyslexia 10 years ago, Knopf went down a rabbit hole of literacy education. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Lawmakers failed to reach an agreement yesterday to end the now weeks-long Department of Homeland Security shutdown. — Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026 But when talking to the now mom of two, there’s a different version of her that emerges. — Anna Halkidis, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
Lee earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing from UNC Charlotte in 2013, found a job at Atrium Health Union and started dating her now-husband. — Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2025 The Padres are built to win now and this is a win-now type of trade that hurts but makes an immediate difference. — Jim Bowden, The Athletic, 25 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for now
Recent Examples of Synonyms for now
  1. currently
  2. lately
  3. sometimes
  4. immediately
  5. downtown
  6. today
  7. anymore
  8. late
Adverb
  • On Monday, White House officials acknowledged that single vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella are not currently available in the US.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • South Carolina has kept troops in the capital for virtually the entire year and currently has nearly 500 there.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of currently
Adverb
  • Orange County beachgoers notice that there's a lot of stingrays lately, and lifeguards say the warm water, especially in places where the surf is relatively calm, is contributing to a dramatic increase in the number of stingray incidents.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Consumers have lately favored premium wines, which sell in lower volumes, McMillan said.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lately
Adverb
  • Trials occur because one party (or sometimes both) has made a mistake.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Better telltale symptoms are confusion, seizures, difficulty breathing, nausea or sometimes unconsciousness.
    — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of sometimes
Adverb
  • Clark immediately started limping and grimaced as she was subbed out.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of committing immediately to a single vehicle architecture, the Army is effectively subjecting multiple approaches to the same test regime and allowing battlefield performance to determine which ones deserve further investment.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of immediately
Adjective
  • As Detroit prepares to welcome thousands of people downtown for Grand Prix weekend, city leaders say public safety has been a months-long effort.
    — Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 28 May 2026
  • For sports travelers, that means the pregame meal does not have to be a chain restaurant, and the postgame dinner does not have to be downtown.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026
Definition of downtown
Noun
  • Leave her running the finance function, advising the CEO, doing the job the way it's done today.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Wegmans will break ground today on the company's first store in the Pittsburgh region at the Cool Springs development in Cranberry Township.
    — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of today
Adverb
  • There’s no guitar bands anymore; there’s no sing-along songs.
    — William Earl, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Liz Meriwether sorta, kinda uses the 1987 thriller Black Widow — in which a government agent (Debra Winger) hunts a female serial killer (Theresa Russell) — as a starting point for a series that doesn’t even bear that title anymore.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of anymore
Adverb
  • The win, however, comes too late for MNUFC in the tournament with clubs from Mexico’s Liga MX.
    — Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Officials reviewed the play, upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2 and ejected Carrington late in the first quarter.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of late

Phrases Containing now

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novitiates
now
nowadays
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Cite this Entry

“Now.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/now. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of now for Spanish Speakers

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