New England

American  

noun

1. an area in the NE United States, including the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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New England British  

noun

1. the NE part of the US, consisting of the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut: settled originally chiefly by Puritans in the mid-17th century

2. a region in SE Australia, in the northern tablelands of New South Wales

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New England Cultural  

1. Region in the northeastern United States that includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

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Discover More

The region is thought to have been named by Captain John Smith for its resemblance to the English coast.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• New Englander
  noun
• New Englandish
  adjective

Compare meaning

How does new-england compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• England vs. New England

Example Sentences

Soccer named Carlos Cordeiro—who happened to maintain a relationship with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

The origins of American liberty lay deep in the Puritan soil of New England as the cultural memory of Plymouth and the English Civil War energized the 18th century’s revolutionary spirit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Slavin, a former New England local board member, ran against Astin for SAG-AFTRA president last year.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

The results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Mr. Pirzada, meanwhile, was in America for the year, for he had been awarded a grant from the government of Pakistan to study the foliage of New England.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri