newcomer
Americannoun
-
newcomers
plural
noun
Usage
What does newcomer mean? A newcomer is a person who has recently arrived at a location or a person or thing that has recently joined a new environment, such as an occupation, workplace, field, or organization. A person who’s just moved to a new city could be described as a newcomer. The term could also be used to refer to a new player on a team, a new student at school, a new employee at work, or a nation that has just joined an international organization. A company that has just been established could be described as a newcomer in its industry or sector. Example: It’s the kind of gym where longtime members take bets on how long newcomers will last.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of newcomer
Explanation
When you show up at your first meeting of the local swim club and you're the only one who didn't bring a towel, it may be because you're a newcomer, or someone who's new at participating in a particular group. When you're a newcomer, you're an outsider just joining an activity or group. There are a lot of great words that have the same meaning as newcomer, like neophyte, rookie, and Johnny-come-lately. One popular slang term for newcomer is newbie, which is often shortened on the Internet to noob.
Vocabulary lists containing newcomer
100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"
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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:
Even friendly locker rooms can be a challenge for a newcomer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
The new series adaptation of the best-selling books stars newcomer Dominic McLaughlin as the boy wizard, Alastair Stout as his best friend Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as the young witch Hermione Granger.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
New controllers have been hired -- 92 in 2025 and 77 in 2026 -- but each newcomer must be trained for five years.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Pete Bloom, a raptor biologist who helped band the newcomer, says there’s a very good chance the bald eagles will make a go at starting a family in a few months.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The newcomer was tall—much taller than the old man he had met in the shop.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
Wahunsonacock, the leader of the Powhatan confederacy that dominated Chesapeake Bay, initially believed he could mold the English newcomers into a client state, and so tolerated their growing presence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
EV newcomers often struggle with the complexities of charging, and previous attempts to marry plug-in and gas vehicles haven’t found much commercial success in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
The episode went viral and prompted debate about the growing presence of content creators at sporting events — and whether newcomers are being adequately schooled in tennis’ distinct etiquette.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
They managed something most newcomers to Tinseltown never do: persuading some of its biggest companies to invest heavily in them.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The story of Dad’s burn had become something of a founding myth: it was told over and over, to newcomers but also to the old.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
