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
Examples of new wave in a Sentence
people who listened to punk, New Wave, or disco
Recent Examples on the Web
As a new wave of COVID-19 infections hits the region, the Huntington Beach City Council voted this week to ban the implementation of COVID vaccine and mask requirements in the city.
—
Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
And a new wave of young politicians has emerged in recent years seeking improvements through democratic means.
—Sira Thierij, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2023
If women’s rap had been confined by the commercial impulse to treat it as a sideshow, then this new wave of artists presents a kind of revenge for the years of trash talk and diminishment — a multipronged retaliation characterized by unmitigated glee.
—Niela Orr, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2023
Leopard 2 exports drove a new wave of upgrades for the main battle tank, upgrades designed to keep the original tank viable against armored threats.
—Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2023
Some of the more fantastical claims came directly from Trump and his allies, who amplified baseless accusations on conservative media and unleashed new waves of outlandish tips from rank-and-file Republicans.
—Adriana Usero, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2023
For the Latinx community, British post-punk music (sometimes called new wave or alternative) has become, as Welsh writer Raymond Williams defined culture, a whole way of life.
—Richard T. Rodríguez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2023
While officials at Starbucks just recently announced another new wave of seasonal summer merchandise, TikTok users are more abuzz over new photos and videos being shared on the platform that reportedly feature upcoming fall 2023 merchandise designs.
—Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 29 July 2023
The video served to further the song’s story and the band’s enticing lore, just when the ‘80s British invasion was introducing America to a new wave of talent.
—Liza Lentini, Spin, 15 Aug. 2023
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Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
And a new wave of young politicians has emerged in recent years seeking improvements through democratic means.
—Sira Thierij, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2023
If women’s rap had been confined by the commercial impulse to treat it as a sideshow, then this new wave of artists presents a kind of revenge for the years of trash talk and diminishment — a multipronged retaliation characterized by unmitigated glee.
—Niela Orr, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2023
Leopard 2 exports drove a new wave of upgrades for the main battle tank, upgrades designed to keep the original tank viable against armored threats.
—Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2023
Some of the more fantastical claims came directly from Trump and his allies, who amplified baseless accusations on conservative media and unleashed new waves of outlandish tips from rank-and-file Republicans.
—Adriana Usero, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2023
For the Latinx community, British post-punk music (sometimes called new wave or alternative) has become, as Welsh writer Raymond Williams defined culture, a whole way of life.
—Richard T. Rodríguez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2023
While officials at Starbucks just recently announced another new wave of seasonal summer merchandise, TikTok users are more abuzz over new photos and videos being shared on the platform that reportedly feature upcoming fall 2023 merchandise designs.
—Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 29 July 2023
The video served to further the song’s story and the band’s enticing lore, just when the ‘80s British invasion was introducing America to a new wave of talent.
—Liza Lentini, Spin, 15 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'new wave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near new wave
Cite this Entry
“New wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/new%20wave. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
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