recent times vs recent history

Both 'recent times' and 'recent history' are correct phrases, but they are used in different contexts. 'Recent times' refers to the current period or the most recent past, while 'recent history' specifically refers to the historical events that have occurred in the recent past.

Last updated: March 31, 2024

recent times

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

The phrase 'recent times' is used to refer to the current period or the most recent past.

Examples:

In recent times, technology has advanced rapidly.
I haven't seen him in recent times.

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Not all the strident voices of recent times have helped us to get closer to the objective.
That has never happened yet, and in every important agreement of recent times the principle has been systematically and criminally disregarded.
Indeed it seems to me that recent times have seen the transport industry being hit hard by piece after piece of excessive legislation.
However, I think that the conditioning factors and the context have changed significantly since 1994, particularly in more recent times.
One of the main innovations of recent times is the obligation imposed on Member States to present annual surveys of their audit and control findings.
Recent times have also seen a rise in production costs, especially fuel and energy prices.
Mr President, recent times have shown us the importance of healthy government finances.
Ray MacSharry was one of the great reforming Commissioners of recent times and Irish farmers owe him a great debt of gratitude.
Down through the centuries and even in more recent times, sites and monuments forming part of the cultural heritage have been completely neglected.
Therefore, now is the time to provide the EU with a legitimate Commission which is capable of responding to the difficult events of recent times.
And I also hope, Mr President, that the Council will maintain the excellent cooperation that it has enjoyed with this Parliament, with the exception of recent times.
In more recent times we experienced the problems caused by the pollution of the Danube with cyanide from Romanian mines, the Erika tanker break-up off the French Atlantic coastline and, from an Irish point of view, the continuing problems caused by Sellafield.
But if I reflect on the heated debates of recent times, and particularly the debate on the crucial issue of the Services Directive, I must conclude that it has demonstrated its readiness and ability to act and has established a profile of its own.
We look to the spring Council in March to reverse the failures of recent times and put Europe firmly on a free market and enterprise-driven path.
This situation has to be tackled because taxes on the peasants have increased dramatically over recent times because of the need to modernise.
The Deepwater Horizon accident was one of the greatest disasters of recent times, with some 4.4 million barrels of crude oil spilling into the sea over the duration of the leak.
One form of serious discrimination relates to religion: how on earth, bearing in mind that the bloodiest violence of recent times has been perpetrated against Christians, did you fail to mention 'Christianophobia' in her speech?
You know, recent times, have been difficult for me.
After all, the violence of recent times has left the people with deep scars.
Listen, son. I know recent times this has been a hard road.

Alternatives:

in the recent past
lately
in the last few years
in the present era
in the contemporary period

recent history

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

'Recent history' specifically refers to the historical events that have occurred in the recent past.