new wave

noun

often capitalized N&W

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

All but one of the 26 people massacred were Indian citizens, prompting a new wave of unrest in a region claimed by both Pakistan and India and that has been the epicenter of often violent territorial struggle between the two countries. —Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025

Women’s basketball is experiencing new waves of growth in commercial appeal. —Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Once again, the ensuing increase in unemployed workers in New Bedford attracted a new wave of manufacturing. — Made By History, Time, 21 Apr. 2025

Their beats continue to resonate far and wide, inspiring a new wave of artists who draw from their pioneering melodies to keep the vibrant tradition of Amazonian cumbia thriving. —Pamela Bustios, Billboard, 21 Apr. 2025

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