new normal

American

[noo nawr-muhl, nyoo] / ˈnu ˈnɔr məl, ˈnju /

noun

a current situation, social custom, etc., that is different from what has been experienced or done before but is expected to become usual or typical.

We are facing a new normal that includes raging forest fires and prolonged drought.

Etymology

Origin of new normal

First recorded in 1920–25

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:

new normal

After four years, you are clearly still adjusting to this new normal.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

So in effect, once the body has been heavier, the brain comes to treat that higher weight as the new normal – a level it feels compelled to defend.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Many business leaders are getting used to the idea of higher tariffs—and tariff fluctuations—as a new normal that will stick around even after Trump leaves office in January 2029.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

"We should not accept this as our new normal."

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

This is starting to become our new normal.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023