Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump To:
  • new year
    new year
    noun
    the year approaching or newly begun.
  • New Year
    New Year
    noun
    the first day or days of the year in various calendars, usually celebrated as a holiday

new year

American  

noun

  1. the year approaching or newly begun.

  2. New Year's Day.

  3. (initial capital letters) the first day or few days of a year in any of various calendars.


New Year British  

noun

  1. the first day or days of the year in various calendars, usually celebrated as a holiday

"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

Etymology

Origin of new year

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200

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:

That has meant that tailor Ebrima Camara, 31, has had to sew using a foot-pedal machine rather than his usual electric model, as he struggles to complete orders for school uniforms for the new year.

From Barron's Sep. 17, 2026

Earnings are likely to normalize for the new year starting in October, due to the lack of major new game launches, Sato says, forecasting declines in game-segment sales and operating profit.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 11, 2026

But analysts at the energy consultancy Cornwall Insight have forecast domestic energy prices could rise a further 9% in the new year, bringing renewed concern to households during the coldest months.

From BBC Sep. 3, 2026

A district spokesperson said they’ve had a positive start to the new year, and school officials have put “reminder tags” on e-bikes that have been parked on school property without the permit stickers.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 27, 2026

I came early, days before the start of the new year.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

"Around New Year, we expect to have a common understanding with a partner country outside of the European Union," said Danish Migrations Minister Morten Bodskov, without naming the nation.

From Barron's Sep. 4, 2026

Li visited Hong Kong during the Lunar New Year earlier this year, months after a massive apartment blaze in the north-eastern Tai Po district claimed 168 lives.

From BBC Aug. 21, 2026

The blowup over Cracker Barrel’s new logo had dented business, and its stock started the New Year at around $25 a share, its lowest level since the 2008 economic downturn.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 12, 2026

In January 2023, during the Lunar New Year holiday, we used the new map to investigate the strongest candidate for the title of 'tallest tree'.

From Science Daily Aug. 4, 2026

Just after the New Year came word of another shocking victory for the rebels, this one at Princeton in New Jersey.

From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training