newfangled

adjective

new·fan·gled ˈnü-ˈfaŋ-gəld

Synonyms of newfangled next

: attracted to novelty

: of the newest style or kind

had many newfangled gadgets in the kitchen

newfangledness noun

Did you know?

Newfangled is actually a pretty old word. It dates all the way back to the 15th century, and likely developed from the even older adjective newfangle, which probably derives from a combination of the Middle English newe, meaning new, and the Old English fangol, from a verb meaning "to take." In its earliest documented uses, newfangled described a person who was fond of new things, fashions, or ideas. Current usage indicates that newfangled is used—sometimes deprecatingly—to describe anything that is new, hip, hot, or happening, while other times it is used with irony for something—such as rock music—that might have been new at one time but is hardly new anymore.

Examples of newfangled in a Sentence

His grandson owns all of the latest newfangled electronics. the newfangled speech used by teenagers

Recent Examples on the Web The most popular account of the Persian invasions is of course by the father of history (and journalism), Herodotus, who rendered his eminently readable text in the newfangled medium of prose but who was writing a good fifty years—some two generations—after the events. —

A.e. Stallings, The New York Review of Books, 17 Aug. 2023 The menu isn’t part of some newfangled scheme to shed pounds. —

Mary Holland, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2023 The issue is: the U.S. FDA hasn’t approved any of these newfangled filters. —

Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Aug. 2023 The first decade of America’s automobile industry has a fascinating and complicated history, with hundreds of players jockeying for position as the public came to terms with newfangled machines that replaced horses with the promise of speed, style, and, ultimately, freedom. —

Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2023 This newfangled electoral system is all the rage among progressive reformers, but less beloved by voters. —

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 25 July 2023 One of my favorite newfangled sweet bagel sandwiches comes from Korshak Bagels in South Philly. —

Esra Erol, Bon Appétit, 27 June 2023 With a blend of newfangled queens comes the magic of the series. —

Mckinley Franklin, Variety, 23 June 2023 For the time being, these newfangled industries absorbed the surplus workforce expelled from heavy industry—or even rejuvenated those sectors, as in the case of steel production. —

Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 1 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'newfangled.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.