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

-ˈdē-lish 

adjective

New Dealism

-ˈdē-ˌli-zəm 

noun

Examples of New Deal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Democrats who still believe in the New Deal-era promise of government helping the public are a bit depressed by the idea that the solution to their party’s problems is generating less money for that purpose. —David Weigel, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026

The framework for unemployment insurance has not been updated since it was created as part of the New Deal, and the federal taxes that support the program have not changed since the 1980s. —Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026

Despite surveys in the 1800s indicating that building a canal would be too costly or difficult, construction began in the 1930s under President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. —Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026

The 2020 Democratic presidential primary, the party's last open nominating contest, featured a rush to the left as candidates raced to embrace far-reaching ideas including Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and aggressive taxes on billionaires. —Jeff Stein The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for New Deal

• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal
• cornmeal
• flywheel
• foveal