novel 1 of 2

noun

Definition of novelnext
1
as in narrative

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in novelette

Related Words

novel

2 of 2

adjective

ˈnä-vəl How to pronounce novel (audio)
as in new
not known or experienced before that's a novel idea for a TV series

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective novel differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of novel are fresh, new, and original. While all these words mean "having recently come into existence or use," novel applies to what is not only new but strange or unprecedented.

a novel approach to the problem

When could fresh be used to replace novel?

While the synonyms fresh and novel are close in meaning, fresh applies to what has not lost its qualities of newness such as liveliness, energy, brightness.

a fresh start

In what contexts can new take the place of novel?

Although the words new and novel have much in common, new may apply to what is freshly made and unused, what has not been known before, or what has not been experienced before.

new brick
new designs
starts the new job

When might original be a better fit than novel?

The meanings of original and novel largely overlap; however, original applies to what is the first of its kind to exist.

a man without one original idea

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 novel
Noun
The Gilded Age star is in negotiations to headline Netflix‘s series adaptation of Dan Brown‘s latest novel, The Secret of Secrets, sources said. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 July 2026 Collins himself inspired the character of camp manager Jim Rawley, and Steinbeck would later dedicate part of the novel to his friend and collaborator. — James Ward, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Adjective
Shockingly, the employee who keeps bringing novel ideas is often the one managers quietly like least. — Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Hyperscalers raising money to fund their AI investments isn't a novel concept, and Amazon has raised roughly $64 billion across offerings earlier this year. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for novel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for novel
  1. narrative
  2. novelette
  3. new
  4. fiction
  5. monograph
  6. unfamiliar
  7. anecdote
  8. pulp
Noun
  • On Saturday, while wearing a crisp, new black Portland Trail Blazers polo shirt, Morant talked of fresh starts, a rejuvenated and nature-loving version of himself and the desire to change narratives.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • The story portrays the lives of adolescents today through their own eyes, allowing their voices and perspectives to shape the narrative in a genuine and convincing way.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2026
Definition of narrative
Noun
  • Alfred Hitchcock turned one of Woolrich’s novelettes into Rear Window, for which Woolrich was paid the grand sum of $650.
    — Sam Kashner, Air Mail, 12 Apr. 2025
  • The next year, Hao Jingfang became the first Chinese woman to win a Hugo, for her novelette Folding Beijing.
    — Yi-Ling Liu, Wired, 9 Mar. 2021
Definition of novelette
Adjective
  • Buckhead Heritage, a historic preservation organization, will make a historic building its new headquarters after reaching an agreement with Atlanta Public Schools.
    — Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 7 July 2026
  • The airlines haven’t yet announced what their new, combined frequent flyer program will look like, however.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of new
Noun
  • The obvious gem of the collection is the attention-getting title story, about the Canadian Nobel laureate Alice Munro, who died in 2024 — and whose complex, layered short fiction Aviv admires.
    — Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Like an author of fantasy fiction, Wolfgang Voigt is continually rewriting and restructuring the internal logic of his own world, going back to his old work in the hopes of imposing some order upon his sprawling mythopoeia.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
Definition of fiction
Noun
  • This monograph recently figured into a larger one-day conference dedicated to the work and cultural legacy of the Armenian painter organized by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice at Aula Baratto on May 25.
    — The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 12 June 2026
  • This is the first new active ingredient added to the over-the-counter sunscreen monograph since the late 1990s.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 10 June 2026
Definition of monograph
Adjective
  • The work is unfamiliar and seems risky, in precisely the ways advanced mathematics or learning to read complex texts may have seemed foreign to our agricultural-era counterparts.
    — Tim Knowles, Fortune, 8 July 2026
  • Entering new markets can trigger unfamiliar regulatory obligations.
    — Blake Harris, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of unfamiliar
Noun
  • Many anecdotes are from people who tried more conventional medicine for digestive issues and, from a place of desperation, decided to look elsewhere for solutions.
    — Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Other early texts describe the Dao through illustrative anecdotes.
    — Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Definition of anecdote
Noun
  • When Sichuan University researchers gave senolytics, drugs designed to clear out cells that have stopped functioning but linger in the body anyway, to aged mice, the animals regained the ability to form new dentin and maintain healthy pulp tissue.
    — Allison Palmer July 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
  • Groups at the University of Washington and the University of the Basque Country published work in 2025 showing dental pulp stem cells can be guided into becoming neurons, heart muscle and bone in lab settings.
    — Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of pulp

Browse Nearby Words

novas
novel
novelette
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Novel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/novel. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on novel

Nglish: Translation of novel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about novel

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