fresh
Americanadjective
-
fresher,
comparative
-
freshest
superlative
-
newly made or obtained.
fresh footprints.
- Antonyms:
- old
-
recently arrived; just come.
fresh from school.
-
new; not previously known, met with, etc.; novel.
to uncover fresh facts;
to seek fresh experiences.
-
additional or further.
fresh supplies.
-
not salty, as water.
-
retaining the original properties unimpaired; not stale or spoiled.
Is the milk still fresh?
-
not preserved by freezing, canning, pickling, salting, drying, etc..
fresh vegetables.
-
not tired or fatigued; brisk; vigorous.
She was still fresh after that long walk.
-
not faded, worn, obliterated, etc.: a fresh appearance.
fresh paint;
a fresh appearance.
-
looking youthful and healthy.
a fresh beauty that we all admired.
-
pure, cool, or refreshing, as air.
- Synonyms:
- unadulterated, sweet, invigorating
-
denoting a young wine, especially a white or rosé, that is clean, crisp, and uncomplicated.
-
Meteorology. (of wind) moderately strong or brisk.
-
Two hundred fresh recruits arrived at the training camp.
- Antonyms:
- skilled, experienced
-
Informal. forward or presumptuous.
-
(of a cow) having recently given birth to a calf.
-
Slang.
noun
-
the fresh part or time.
-
a freshet.
verb (used with or without object)
adverb
adjective
-
not stale or deteriorated; newly made, harvested, etc
fresh bread
fresh strawberries
-
newly acquired, created, found, etc
fresh publications
-
novel; original
a fresh outlook
-
latest; most recent
fresh developments
-
further; additional; more
fresh supplies
-
not canned, frozen, or otherwise preserved
fresh fruit
-
(of water) not salt
-
bright or clear
a fresh morning
-
chilly or invigorating
a fresh breeze
-
not tired; alert; refreshed
-
not worn or faded
fresh colours
-
having a healthy or ruddy appearance
-
newly or just arrived; straight
fresh from the presses
-
youthful or inexperienced
-
designating a female farm animal, esp a cow, that has recently given birth
-
informal presumptuous or disrespectful; forward
-
dialect partially intoxicated; tipsy
noun
-
the fresh part or time of something
-
another name for freshet
verb
adverb
-
in a fresh manner; freshly
-
informal having just run out of supplies of
Usage
What is a basic definition of fresh? Fresh is an adjective that describes something as new or recently made, as being not spoiled or not preserved, or as being energized or not tired. Fresh has many other senses as an adjective and a few as a noun and a verb. If something is fresh, it has not existed for very long or is so new that it has never been used or seen before.
- Real-life examples: Kids like to play in fresh snow that is still soft and not frozen. A fresh pen has never been used before. When people want to try something different, they need fresh ideas.
- Used in a sentence: I grabbed a piece of paper that was fresh out of the pack.
- Used in a sentence: That gross, smelly fish clearly isn’t fresh.
- Used in a sentence: The tired players sat on the bench and fresh substitutes took their place.
Synonym Usage
See new.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of fresh
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fersc; cognate with Old Frisian fersk, Old High German frisc ( German frisch ), Old Norse ferskr
Explanation
Fresh describes things that are new or energetic, like fresh bread from the oven and fresh music from a recording artist. Moldy bread and grandpa's polkas? Not so fresh. There are many uses for the adjective fresh, from being flirty to being well-rested. Ripe foods taste fresh compared to freezer-burned varieties, and fresh ideas are exciting and new. Fresh water is without the bitterness of salt water. Modern and different are also synonyms of fresh, while stale and tired are opposites.
Vocabulary lists containing fresh
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Non-Color Words to Use When Describing Color
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Another resident also doubts fresh penalties will have an impact on the longevity of the regime.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
But as depressing as that may be, “The End of Oak Street” could very well be a blueprint for a fresh era in popcorn movies.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
It's unclear what additional impact any fresh sanctions would have, given the US blockade of Iranian ports.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
From “Heated Rivalry” to “Obsession,” this has been a phenomenal year for discovering fresh faces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
I saw another world up there, clean and fresh smelling, but with nothing to feed any of us.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
Closer to the crater rim, brighter streaks reveal fresher material that was excavated from greater depths underground.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
The right mix of true and imagined can give the simplest of humane narratives — in this case, the possibility of renewal in an epidemic of hurt — a fresher chance to touch us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
A breezier and fresher day for all, temperatures will largely be in the mid-20s Celsius for the south-east of the UK and in the mid-teens Celsius further north.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
When James’s co-star Luka Doncic went down injured before the Lakers’ postseason, most observers expected them to bow out quickly against the younger, fresher, and statistically better Houston Rockets in the first round.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In a fresher one, there was still some milk, but it was rancid.
From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor
"Here I was feeling fine. Maybe not the freshest, like at the beginning of the tournament, but I was physically all right," Djokovic said.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Much of it was a breath of freshest air, but he was also remembered for his brash youth, which was now a brash 30s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
The shops are busiest then but also have the freshest inventory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026
“Our proximity to the ocean allows chefs to work with some of the freshest seafood in the world, while luxury resorts attract international talent, creating dining experiences that are both authentic and world-class,” says Rifzan.
From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2025
He dried off, pulled on fresh clothes—or the freshest ones he could find in the pile on his floor—and headed for the kitchen.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
