newfangled
Americanadjective
-
of a new kind or fashion.
newfangled ideas.
-
fond of or given to novelty.
adjective
-
newly come into existence or fashion, esp excessively modern
-
rare excessively fond of new ideas, fashions, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of newfangled
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, equivalent to newefangel “fond of or taken by what is new ”( newe new + -fangel, unattested Old English fangol “inclined to take,” equivalent to fang-, stem of fōn “to take” ( cf. fang 2) + -ol adjective suffix) + -ed 3
Explanation
Something newfangled is new, like a fancy new gadget or invention. This is a folksy way of describing a fashionable (and often too fashionable) thing. If someone says — “What is that newfangled thing?” — they’re using a humorous, casual word for things that are new, current, or fashionable — especially too-fashionable things. Using this word implies that the person isn’t very impressed with the newfangled thing, implying that it’s new for the sake of being new. This word is a little insulting, as in “Why do you always have to have a newfangled phone?” Calling something newfangled isn’t very respectful to the new thing.
Vocabulary lists containing newfangled
As You Like It
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myPerspectives 8.5
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Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
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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.
After pushing 200 innings the last two seasons, he underwent a newfangled minimally invasive procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body from his elbow.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
Setup: Woody, a pull-string doll from the 1950s and the favorite of his owner Andy, feels threatened by the newfangled interloper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away called the 1990s, young people scraped by with tiny salaries and tried to save for retirement in a newfangled self-directed system.
From MarketWatch ● May 14, 2026
Arm’s ambitious revenue targets, partly driven by its newfangled chip business, also underpin the stock upgrade.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
“It’s these modern, newfangled dances like the waltz that take so much out of me.”
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
