new normal

American

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

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.

In the new normal, black gold may outshine the original.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

A judge ruled that Amazon can keep outside AI bots off its site for now, but retailers are preparing for a new normal in shopping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

“You can look across the board on solid results, but I think it’s become the new normal in terms of this pushback on a lot of the spending on AI,” said Gordon.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

In spite of the submissions still coming into his mailbox from his now 130,000 followers, he doesn't post as much anymore and has largely resigned himself to the new normal of life online.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

Finding my new normal, and that my new normal is Sandy.

From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender

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