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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective original differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of original are fresh, new, and novel. While all these words mean "having recently come into existence or use," original applies to what is the first of its kind to exist.

a man without one original idea

Where would fresh be a reasonable alternative to original?

In some situations, the words fresh and original are roughly equivalent. However, fresh applies to what has not lost its qualities of newness such as liveliness, energy, brightness.

a fresh start

When can new be used instead of original?

The words new and original can be used in similar contexts, but 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 would novel be a good substitute for original?

The words novel and original are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, novel applies to what is not only new but strange or unprecedented.

a novel approach to the problem

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 original
Adjective
With the original Toxic Avenger creator’s blessing, Macon Blair has brought the cult franchise back from its noxious cinematic dumping grounds. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025 The original story was branded as antisemitic due to Dickens’ descriptions of the prejudicial norms of society in those times. The Know, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Jordan has already supported several Netflix originals, including the teen supernatural series Jinn, and sees significant growth potential in streaming content. Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025 The film is produced by the directors of Troma Entertainment’s 1984 original, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for original
Recent Examples of Synonyms for original
Adjective
  • After the initial outcry, Sanders continued jetting himself around the country.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Before The Beatles and before football came the docks, once the beating heart of Liverpool and the catalyst for the city’s initial growth and prosperity.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Often, the most innovative solutions come from combining AI insights with human wisdom from diverse sources.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • What transpired were innovative and somewhat futuristic trousers, blazers, and outerwear.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This novel rocks just as hard as its heroine, Opal, a badass Black singer in the ‘60s and ‘70s made in the image of icons like Grace Jones and Betty Davis.
    Lauren Morrow September 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
  • This allows bitBiome researchers to identify novel genes to insert into a standard laboratory protein-production organism and generate samples of potentially interesting new versions of the enzymes or proteins encoded by the isolated gene sequences.
    Steven Savage, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The prototype is built using commercially available parts, including micro-LED lights, optical lenses, and sensors from smartphone cameras, keeping costs down and making future mass production feasible.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Working together, the plant teams agreed to accept shorter lead times for receiving prototypes in return for designs with fewer problems.
    Nelson P. Repenning, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Indeed, the only character from The Office that actually carried over into the new series is Oscar, who serves as the lead accountant for Softees but gets dragooned into reporting and constructing Sudokus for the paper.
    Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Instead, deaf viewers see unsynchronized plain white text on a black background and it is left to their imagination to infer those rich and nuanced character tomes essential for storytelling that hearing audiences take for granted.
    Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Kirsten Obstacles and my first realisations about society's stereotypical attitudes toward motherhood, being a mother, and being an artist and mother quickly led me to take action.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The high-energy track, which blends old school hip-hop vibes with rock elements, marks the first time a virtual group has ever produced a song and direct choreography for an audition survival series.
    Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Target is taking aim at its biggest problem, and given the declining fortunes of this classic American brand, that alone constitutes a creative step in the right direction.
    Dan Gingiss, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • From a creative perspective, who was the better playwright, Inchbald the professional or Austen, who merely played around at it in her fiction?
    Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • That new equalized funding formula went into effect after a three-year transition period in 2024, when 44 groups each got $9,269, according to the three-year awards report.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Swiss transportation company Twiliner is kicking off a new night bus service later this year that will be more akin to a business class airline seat than your typical bus.
    Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Original.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/original. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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