new wave

noun

variants often New Wave
Synonyms of new wavenext
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 How to pronounce new wave (audio)
ˈnyü-
-ˌwāv
adjective
new waver noun

Examples of new wave in a Sentence

people who listened to punk, New Wave, or disco
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.
Other Gulf states intercepted new waves of Iranian drones and missiles early Thursday morning too, including in the global business hub of Dubai, where a drone fell on a building near the luxury neighborhood of Creek Harbour. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026 Two peers from the Foss Park District Board are facing off in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for the Lake County Board District 14 seat, part of a new wave of fresh faces vying for county leadership. Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026 In the six years since their last non-collaborative album, a new wave of young bands influenced by their crisp and orderly form of shoegaze have made the once-dormant genre one of the defining sounds of this decade. Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 11 Mar. 2026 Among a new wave of outsider media figures, Fuentes in particular has proven to be a more enduring and ubiquitous force than commonly expected. Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for new wave

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of new wave was in 1960

Cite this Entry

“New wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/new%20wave. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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