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
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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Non-Color Words to Use When Describing Color
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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:
With markets pricing in a hold in October, focus will be on the BOJ’s tone and messaging, and on a fresh batch of upcoming economic data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Among those tending to their iced displays of fresh produce or quietly sipping a steaming coffee, there is a desire for the temperature of the demonstrations to decrease.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
But the AI trade has evolved since earlier in the year, when investors were trying to find fresh ways to bet on a furious cycle of spending on chips and power.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Scientists at Kobe University have discovered evidence that fresh magma is accumulating beneath Japan's Kikai caldera, which unleashed a catastrophic eruption about 7,300 years ago.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Believing Leah was overcome by the spirits, her hostess took her out into the yard for some fresh air.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
For example, he said, the Emmy voting and award show calendar might be adjusted after 2027 so the event could occur earlier in the year, such as in May, when the shows feel fresher.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Furthermore, the chain will expand its beverage selection, introducing fresher coffee beans, new espresso machines and dairy alternatives.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
But it is also about culture—hence “Winning Works,” which is intended to put fresher bottoms into seats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Pressure is falling on Monday, the wind direction is changing and a weather front is moving down from the north-west, signalling a change to cooler and fresher weather.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
As I walk back down the hill, I notice that the air seems fresher up here.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
The emergence of a new kind of online shopper, using these sites and willing to pay luxury prices for used pieces, has become so prominent that it is sometimes outshining the freshest runway trends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
The company said the changes were part of an effort to provide “the freshest, highest-quality food possible.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 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
Minka Kelly has a face that could launch a thousand cable movies and is the freshest thing about “Champagne Problems,” a holiday-season romance that takes the welcome tack of embracing its own clichés.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 19, 2025
Ma likes it this way because everything we eat each day is at its freshest.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
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