NEOPHYTES Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

neophytes

noun

plural of neophyte

as in newcomers

a person who has recently been persuaded to join a religious sect neophytes are assigned an experienced church member to guide them through their first year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in novices

a person who is just starting out in a field of activity a neophyte in snowboarding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 neophytes The mission lands, though theoretically earmarked for former neophytes, always seemed to end up in the pockets of Mexican-Spanish Californios. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 Stearns moved on from the former core of homegrown players, such as Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, and acquired New York neophytes Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien and others. — Will Sammon, New York Times, 26 June 2026 Those players and Conwell, along with returning Heat neophytes Goldin, Keels, Jahmir Young and Myron Gardner, are expected to fill slots on the Heat summer roster that will be guided by assistant coach Wayne Ellington. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026 March 13, 2026 For Gen Z neophytes and hardcore fans overseas (South Asian and Nigerian Mike zealots apparently have a lot to say on the matter), the idea of MJ/Prince ever being a rivalry is laughable. — Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026 Compared with New York, San Antonio is led by neophytes. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 3 June 2026 Luckily for neophytes, the menu offers easy-to-understand tasting notes. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026 This is a lovely film that will appeal to Bernstein’s most ardent fans, while warmly inviting neophytes into his world. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026 Perhaps the thing that did catch the Penguins off guard was the way Philadelphia's playoff neophytes hardly seemed intimidated by the stage or the opponent. — CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for neophytes

Noun

Others said the campaign had a darker side and stirred up fear of newcomers.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Although this weekend is light on newcomers, the fall box office is expected to heat up before September ends.

— Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of newcomers

Noun

Despite being an expert in her craft, Godshalk communicated the principles of floral design to her students in a way that was easy for novices to digest.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Sep. 2026
At that time, people overtraded and treated the market like a casino, as novices began participating more frequently.

— David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of novices

Noun

The Ascenders were listed with 27 players rated as three-star recruits or higher coming into the season.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
These kinds of appeals have historically been successful in attracting the diverse recruits – women and people of color – who have been critical to the military’s ability to meet its personnel needs.

— Jeremiah Favara, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of recruits

Noun

Start with these six moves To put that approach into practice, Torres recommends these six exercises, which can be adapted for beginners and experienced lifters alike.

— Olivia LaBorde, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Playa Guiones is one of the most consistent beach breaks on the planet, and there are dozens of surf schools, camps, and a variety of waves for beginners to experts.

— Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of beginners

Noun

The senators, Roger Niello of Fair Oaks, Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh of Yucaipa and Steve Choi of Irvine, cited a UC San Diego faculty work group paper from last fall that found about 1 in 12 incoming freshmen tested below high school math standards.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
That includes freshmen who picked their colleges at least in part based on promises made by coaches.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of freshmen

Noun

Miami played 11 rookies in last week’s opening loss in Vegas for a combined total of 436 snaps — the most snaps by rookies for any team in a Week 1 since at least 2006, when that statistic was first tracked by Sportradar.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Impressive rookies — especially on defense How good were the Kansas City Chiefs’ rookies against the Broncos?

— Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of rookies

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neophyte

neophytes

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“Neophytes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neophytes. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of neophytes

noun

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