FRESHMEN Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

freshmen

noun

plural of freshman

as in novices

a person who is just starting out in a field of activity our senator is just a freshman in Congress

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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.

Recent Examples of freshmen First-semester freshmen will be spared the stress of final letter grades. — George F. Will, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026 Some incoming freshmen, including honors students, moved in earlier this week. — Leondra Head, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 As a result, Cypher said, about 600,000 first-time full-time freshmen did not matriculate that year. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 How to get free Insomnia Cookies Insomnia Cookies is giving away six-packs of cookies to incoming college freshmen who are slated to graduate in 2030. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Bradford and Taylor are true freshmen with Bradford being the gem of last year’s recruiting cycle as a four-star recruit TCU flipped from Oklahoma State. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Aug. 2026 Changing times, with so many other options, allows Dan Hurley and his staff to be more selective than ever in choosing freshmen. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026 While Cantwell is the main name to watch among freshmen offensive linemen, keep an eye on Ben Congdon, too. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026 The upshot is that entering freshmen only have a few months before being bombarded by banks and banking hype is unavoidable. — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for freshmen

Noun

The music industry has been wrestling with the pros and cons of the new technology that allows musical novices to create professional-sounding songs in seconds.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Studies of customer service representatives using AI assistance found that novices gained most from AI coaching suggestions, but critically, those learning effects transferred beyond specific situations.

— ByJonathan H. Westover, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of novices

Noun

Variety has also obtained an exclusive new image from the film, which stars Antonia Buresi alongside newcomers Colas Quignard, Suzanne Gerin and Mitia Capellier-Audat.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Backup quarterbacks Justin Fields and Garrett Nussmeier figure to get the bulk of the snaps, at least early, and the performances among newcomers at running back and the defensive interior will be among the biggest curiosities.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of newcomers

Noun

Founder Megan Masters fell in love with mahjong in 2023, but found the sets expensive and overwhelming for beginners.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Falls are another injury risk beginners underestimate, according to Ryan Glatt, CPT, NBC-HWC, a senior brain health coach at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of beginners

Noun

Behind those contributions from a quartet of rookies, the Giants beat the Houston Astros 4-1 at Oracle Park.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
The two-day test allows additional track time for all teams, including rookies looking to complete the Rookie Orientation Program.

— Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of rookies

Noun

With the money, the museum is able to sustain, among other things, an internship program for teaching apprentices and a speaker series.

— News Desk, Artforum, 11 Aug. 2026
City Colleges recently launched Chicago Moonshot, an apprenticeship initiative associated with the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park, where the district has committed to graduating hundreds of IT apprentices over the next five years.

— Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of apprentices

Noun

Both junior investment bankers and senior banking veterans—including former Morgan Stanley managing director Alisha Lehr just last month—are among OpenAI’s latest recruits.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
Smart’s Georgia teams have produced 84 draft picks and 21 first-round selections over his 10 years leading the program, including 63 draft picks and 15 first-rounders over the past six years with his recruits in place.

— Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of recruits

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“Freshmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freshmen. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of freshmen

noun

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