New Deal

noun

: the legislative and administrative program of President Franklin D. Roosevelt designed to promote economic recovery and social reform during the 1930s
also : the period of this program
New Dealer noun
New Dealish adjective
New Dealism noun

Examples of New Deal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My Second New Deal builds career pathways through apprenticeships and trade schools, pairs student debt relief with good-paying jobs and secures Social Security and Medicare for every generation. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 As part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration was created to combat unemployment during the Great Depression. USA Today, 6 May 2026 This is what created the New Deal, this is what created the labor movement, this is what created the concept of shared prosperity. Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 1 May 2026 Alameda Connects The construction project was part of the New Deal, in which federal, state, and local governments collaborated through the Works Progress Administration to bring work to those in desperate need of employment at a time when nearly 25% of Americans were out of work. Christa Swanson, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for New Deal

Word History

Etymology

from the supposed resemblance to the situation of freshness and equality of opportunity afforded by a fresh deal in a card game

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of New Deal was in 1932

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“New Deal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/New%20Deal. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on New Deal

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster