recently
gb/ɹˈisəntli/ us/ɹˈisəntli/
A2
English
~ 900
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
relation
1
Not long ago
A short time ago; not long before now.
Usage pattern:
recently + [past participle verb]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'recently' with 'soon'. 'Recently' refers to the past, while 'soon' refers to the future.
Synonyms
lately (Almost interchangeable in most contexts, though 'lately' is slightly more common in informal speech.)
Antonyms
long ago (Indicates something happened far in the past, opposite of 'recently'.)
Collocations
recently discovered
|recently married
|recently updated
|recently opened
|recently announced
Themes
time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I recently started a new job.
- She has recently moved to the city.
- The company recently announced a new product line.
- We recently visited our grandparents.
- He recently discovered his passion for painting.
Learner examples
- I recently got a new phone.
- She recently moved here.
- They recently went to the park.
- We recently saw that movie.
- He recently bought a bike.
Grammar
Dictionary form
recently
IPA
GB/ɹˈisəntli/
US/ɹˈisəntli/
Syllables & stress
re - cently (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (re)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: recently
- Plural: recentlies
Word family
Expressions
only recently
1/ˈoʊnli ɹˈisəntli/
fixed phrase
Just a short time ago
Used to say something happened not long ago and is still recent.
Examples
- I only recently learned how to swim.
- They only recently met each other.
until recently
1/ʌntˈɪl ɹˈisəntli/
fixed phrase
Up to not long ago
Before a short time ago, but not now.
Examples
- Until recently, she lived in New York.
- The shop was open until recently.
until recently
2/ʌntˈɪl ɹˈisəntli/
fixed phrase
Up to a short time ago
Used to say something was true in the past but has changed in the very near past.
Examples
- Until recently, we lived in the countryside.
- She worked here until recently, but now she has another job.