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Synonyms

newly

American  
[noo-lee, nyoo-] / ˈnu li, ˈnju- /

adverb

  1. recently; lately.

    a newly married couple.

  2. anew or afresh.

    a newly repeated slander.

  3. in a new manner or form.

    a room newly decorated.


newly British  
/ ˈnjuːlɪ /

adverb

  1. recently; lately or just

    a newly built shelf

  2. again; afresh; anew

    newly raised hopes

  3. in a new manner; differently

    a newly arranged room

"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 newly

before 900; Middle English; Old English nīwlice. See new, -ly

Explanation

When you describe something as newly happening, it just occurred. A newly hatched chick is barely out of it shell, and a newly arrived classmate just joined your class recently. If you just bought your enormous TV yesterday, you can call it newly acquired, and if your favorite movie finally came out on DVD this weekend, it's newly released. Doing something over again — or as if for the first time — can also be described this way, like when your newly single uncle goes on a blind date. Newly comes from new, with its Old English root neowe, "new, fresh, or recent."

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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.

See Examples For:

If interest rates rise, investors can earn a higher return on newly issued bonds, so older bonds paying lower rates become less attractive.

From MarketWatch Jul. 24, 2026

Last year, they bought a newly built three-bedroom house for $328,000, with a monthly mortgage payment almost equal to what they were paying in rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Orlando.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Sophie Piper, who came third on their All Star season, and TikTok star GK Barry also shared their support with the newly weds.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2026

"Falling inflation is news families want to hear but there is much more to do to give people the breathing space they need," said newly appointed finance minister John Healey.

From Barron's Jul. 22, 2026

The Four Continents stocked a small but potent collection of chess books, as well as the latest copies of Shakhmatny Bulletin, a newly launched Russian-language periodical.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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