new wave

noun

variants often New Wave

1

: a cinematic movement that is characterized by improvisation, abstraction, and subjective symbolism and that often makes use of experimental photographic techniques

2

: a new movement in a particular field

3

: popular music less raw than punk rock and typically including unconventional melodies, exaggerated beats, and quirky lyrics

4

: dernier cri

especially : fashion that is strikingly outrageous

new-wave

ˈnü-ˈwāv 

ˈnyü-, 

-ˌwāv

adjective

new waver

ˈnü-ˈwā-vər 

ˈnyü-

noun

Examples of new wave in a Sentence

people who listened to punk, New Wave, or disco

Recent Examples on the Web

Driving ranges like Topgolf and indoor virtual simulators have also helped grow participation in the sport, with a new wave of casual players driving demand for golf gadgets. —Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 5 June 2026

In 2021, the book entered the public domain, ushering in a new wave of retellings, including two new musicals. —Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026

Scorsese’s endorsement of Black Forest Labs comes as Hollywood enters a new wave of AI adoption. —Corbin Bolies, Variety, 2 June 2026

The Infrastructure Behind Inclusion Real inclusion requires more than a new wave of investment tools and applications. —Harry Temkin, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for new wave

• agave
• behave
• concave
• conclave
• enclave
• engrave
• enslave
• forgave
• landgrave
• margrave
• shortwave
• aftershave