new
Americanadjective
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newer,
comparative
-
newest
superlative
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of recent origin, production, purchase, etc.; having but lately come or been brought into being.
a new book.
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of a kind now existing or appearing for the first time; novel.
a new concept of the universe.
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having but lately or but now come into knowledge.
a new chemical element.
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unfamiliar or strange (often followed byto ): to visit new lands.
ideas new to us;
to visit new lands.
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having but lately come to a place, position, status, etc..
a reception for our new minister.
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unaccustomed (usually followed byto ).
people new to such work.
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coming or occurring afresh; further; additional.
new gains.
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fresh or unused.
to start a new sheet of paper.
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(of physical or moral qualities) different and better.
The vacation made a new man of him.
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other than the former or the old: in the New World.
a new era;
in the New World.
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being the later or latest of two or more things of the same kind: a new edition of Shakespeare.
the New Testament;
a new edition of Shakespeare.
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(initial capital letter) (of a language) in its latest known period, especially as a living language at the present time.
New High German.
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the new, designating the newly fashionable, trendy, or popular thing, replacing or equaling the success of a specified previous one: Knitting is the new rock-'n'-roll.
While nothing will ever replace black as “the new black,” these new neutrals, especially beige, look like contenders.
Knitting is the new rock-'n'-roll.
Is kelp the new kale?
adverb
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recently or lately (usually used in combination).
The valley was green with new-planted crops.
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freshly; anew or afresh (often used in combination): new-mown hay.
roses new washed with dew;
new-mown hay.
noun
adjective
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recently made or brought into being
a new dress
our new baby
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( as collective noun; preceded by the )
the new
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of a kind never before existing; novel
a new concept in marketing
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having existed before but only recently discovered
a new comet
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markedly different from what was before
the new liberalism
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fresh and unused; not second-hand
a new car
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(prenominal) having just or recently become
a new bride
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recently introduced (to); inexperienced (in) or unaccustomed (to)
new to this neighbourhood
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(capital in names or titles) more or most recent of two or more things with the same name
the New Testament
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(prenominal) fresh; additional
I'll send some new troops
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(often foll by to) unknown; novel
this is new to me
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(of a cycle) beginning or occurring again
a new year
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(prenominal) (of crops) harvested early
new carrots
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changed, esp for the better
she returned a new woman from her holiday
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up-to-date; fashionable
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(capital when part of a name; prenominal) being the most recent, usually living, form of a language
New High German
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the new vogue
comedy is the new rock'n'roll
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to reform; make a fresh start
adverb
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recently, freshly
new-laid eggs
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anew; again
Pronunciation
Following the alveolar consonants , , and , two main types of pronunciation occur for the “long” vowel represented by the spellings u, ue, discontinuous u...e, and ew, as in student, due, nude, and new. In the North and North Midland U. S. immediately follows the alveolar consonant: , , , and . In the South Midland and Southern U. S., pronunciations of the type , , , and predominate. Both these types are traceable to England, as well as some less common ones, for example, those in which the high front vowel substitutes for the . A belief that the pronunciations are more prestigious sometimes leads to hypercorrection, the insertion of the y sound where historically it does not belong, leading to such pronunciations as for noon. Currently in the United States, a following , , , and , as in sue , resume , enthusiasm , and illusion , is used by some speakers, but is considered an affectation by others.
Usage
What is a basic definition of new? New describes something that only now exists or has been around for only a short time. New also describes something that has just appeared for the first time or that is unfamiliar. New has several other senses as an adjective, adverb, and a noun. If something is new, it has only been around for a short time. This sense of new is the opposite of old. Real-life examples: Most stores sell products that are brand-new—they have never been used or opened. The internet is a relatively new invention as it has only existed since the late 1960s. Other technologies are much newer. Used in a sentence: The agent showed off the new houses that were built last week. New also describes something that just now exists for the first time. In this sense, something is new if it is a completely unique creation. Real-life examples: Companies are always creating new products. Science and technology constantly lead to new ideas. Used in a sentence: Fans are happy that the author is writing a new book. New can describe something that is unfamiliar or strange. This sense is often written in the form of “new to.”Real-life examples: People often try things that are new to them, meaning they have never experienced them before, such as new foods, books, TV shows, or hobbies. Used in a sentence: Golf was new to me when I joined the club, but I grew to enjoy the sport over the years.
Synonym Usage
New, fresh, novel describe things that have not existed or have not been known or seen before. New refers to something recently made, grown, or built, or recently found, invented, or discovered: a new car; new techniques. Fresh refers to something that has retained its original properties, or has not been affected by use or the passage of time: fresh strawberries; fresh ideas. Novel refers to something new that has an unexpected, strange, or striking quality, generally pleasing: a novel experience.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of new
First recorded before 900; Middle English newe (adjective, adverb, and noun), Old English nēowe, nīewe, nīwe (adjective and adverb); cognate with Dutch nieuw, German neu, Old Norse nȳr, Gothic niujis, Old Irish núe, Welsh newydd, Greek neîos; akin to Latin novus, Old Church Slavonic novŭ, Greek néos, Sanskrit navas
Explanation
If something's new, it has never been seen or discovered or invented before. Anything can be new: a country, an idea, a product. If you spend half an hour watching TV, you'll see an incredible selection of new items being advertised. There are lots of shades of meaning attached to new. For example, by its very nature something that's new is unfamiliar, and the two words are often used interchangeably. New can also mean something different from what has gone before — as in a new political strategy — or, as advertising would have you believe, something fresh and original, like that new and improved version of your favorite laundry detergent you just bought.
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:
He said Lady A has a new record on the way, and that the Grammy-winning trio has a slate of Christmas shows scheduled for December.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
That compares with the roughly 7.5% rate on new 30-year fixed mortgages, according to Mortgage News Daily.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
In 2023, EVs accounted for less than 8% of new auto sales.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
“In the past 20 years, a new social boundary seems to have calcified among people my age,” Walsh wrote.
From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026
The new Phineas was pigheaded and stubborn one moment and wishy-washy and vague the next.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
One new component of Studebaker and the other newer lanes are raised bus stops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The Hawk T1, and newer T2 versions are transonic, two-seat training aircrafts used to train fast jet pilots.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Qantas is betting that so-called ultra long-haul routes serviced by more fuel-efficient planes will persuade customers to pay higher ticket prices for shorter overall travel times and greater comfort on newer craft.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
This newer design has larger flapping wings that support more agile flight.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
So she merely implies it—perhaps by telling you about the much bigger, nicer, newer house down the block that has sat unsold for six months.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
OpenAI will not release its newest artificial intelligence model, known as Astra 6.1, after internal testing by the ChatGPT-maker revealed it did not meet safety standards, the company confirmed Monday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
Mark it on a calendar to go see a Pepperdine game or the high school basketball event on Dec. 22 to enjoy the newest arena setting in Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Peltz has launched multiple bids to take over the chain, most recently in February and August, before deciding he would wait to see if Wendy’s newest CEO, Bob Wright, could turn the flagging operation around.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
Ronaldo - who joked he will play on for another decade - says helping his country's newest talents was also a pivotal factor in his decision to continue to represent Portugal.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
“Now we should begin our first simulation of the day. We are already running a bit behind because of our newest recruits. So, no time to waste!”
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
