Definition

Noun: The quality or state of being the present time; the immediate, current moment. It refers to the temporal characteristic of existing or occurring at this very instant.

Usage

The word "nowness" is an abstract noun used to describe the essence or feeling of the present. It is often used in philosophical, literary, or psychological discussions about time, consciousness, and perception. * The nowness of the experience made it unforgettable. * Her poetry captures the nowness of urban life. * The meditation technique focuses on the pure nowness of each breath.

Advanced Usage

• In philosophical discourse: "Nowness" is contrasted with concepts like "pastness" or "futurity" to analyze the nature of temporal experience.
  • The philosopher argued that the "nowness" of a moment is an illusion, as it is immediately consumed by the past.
• In literary criticism: Used to discuss a narrative's sense of immediacy or how a text makes the past feel present.
  • The novel's use of the present tense creates a powerful sense of nowness, pulling the reader into the action.

Variants and Related Words

• Presentness (noun): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "nowness" to mean the quality of being present or current.
• Immediacy (noun): The quality of being immediate, which can overlap with "nowness" but often emphasizes directness or urgency rather than purely temporal presence.

Synonyms

• Presentness
• Currentness
• Immediacy (in a temporal sense)

Antonyms

• Pastness
• Futurity
• Remoteness (in time)

Noun

1. the quality of being the present
   • a study of the pastness of the present and...of the presentness of the past- R.E.Spiller