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Synonyms

New Deal

American  

noun

  1. the principles of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, especially those advocated under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for economic recovery and social reforms.

  2. the domestic program of the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, especially during the period from 1933 to 1941.


New Deal British  

noun

  1. the domestic policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt for economic and social reform

  2. the period of the implementation of these policies (1933–40)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

New Deal Cultural  
  1. A group of government programs and policies established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s; the New Deal was designed to improve conditions for persons suffering in the Great Depression. The projects of the New Deal included the Social Security System, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Works Progress Administration.


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The New Deal remains controversial. Some have criticized it as too expensive and have called it an inadvisable expansion of federal control over the American economy. Others have insisted that the New Deal was an appropriate response to desperate conditions and produced programs of continuing value.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of New Deal

1830–35, as political catchphrase during the Jackson presidency

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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.

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As I recounted in my book “The New Deal: A Modern History,” Smith’s keynote speech at the league gala was broadcast on a national radio hookup.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 29, 2026

Appeared in the May 30, 2026, print edition as 'Newsom Wants an AI New Deal'.

From The Wall Street Journal May 29, 2026

From Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal to Jimmy Carter’s winning campaign in 1976, Democratic Party built a durable coalition by making rural voters feel seen and heard with policies that responded to their needs and demands.

From Salon May 12, 2026

“We’re creating a window on what downtown could look like,” said Simon Bertrang, executive director of SF New Deal, the nonprofit behind Vacant to Vibrant.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 16, 2026

In the New Deal we were their guestroom, their finished basement.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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