What does currently mean?
"Currently" is an adverb meaning at the present time or now. It signals that whatever is being described holds true at the moment of speaking or writing, rather than permanently: a shop may be currently closed, a scientist currently researching a topic, a policy currently in force. The word carries no strong connotation of its own — it is neutral, precise, and at home in everything from news reports and official documents to everyday conversation, which makes it one of the most quietly indispensable words in English. It derives from "current", which traces back through Old French to the Latin verb "currere", meaning to run; something current was originally something flowing or running, and what is currently happening is what is running its course right now. Writers sometimes overuse it where the plain present tense would suffice, but it remains valuable whenever a contrast between now and before — or between now and later — needs to be made explicit.
adverbAt the present time; now. It indicates that something is true or in effect at the moment of speaking or writing.
- At the present time; now — indicating that a state or action is in effect at the moment of speaking.
"The museum is currently closed for renovations."
"She is currently studying for her final exams."
"The company currently employs over two hundred people."
'Currently' comes from the Latin 'currere', 'to run' — so when you say something is currently happening, you're literally saying it's 'running' right now.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of currently
"Currently" is formed from the adjective "current", which entered Middle English from Old French "courant", ultimately from Latin "currere", meaning to run or flow. The adverbial form arose in English by straightforward derivation with the suffix "-ly", appearing from around the early modern period. It shares its Latin root with words such as "occur", "incur", "excursion", and "currency", all of which preserve the sense of running or flowing.
How currently is actually used
Fully standard in both formal and informal contexts across all major varieties of English. Some traditional style guides once discouraged it as redundant with simple present-tense verbs ('she currently works' vs. 'she works'), but this objection has largely fallen away, and 'currently' remains the clearest way to signal that a statement describes the present situation rather than a permanent one.
Easily confused with currently
In traditional and British usage, 'presently' means 'soon' or 'after a short time', while 'currently' strictly means 'now', though 'presently' is increasingly used to mean 'currently', especially in American English.