as in novices
a person who is just starting out in a field of activity
although a star in his old sport of basketball, he was still just a rookie as far as baseball was concerned
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Recent Examples of rookies
Especially with three rookies as significant contributors.
—
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Crawford should be a strong candidate for MVP, while Jutting has been one of the league’s best rookies.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
DeLauter, who leads all rookies with five homers and 11 RBIs, drove in José Ramírez and David Fry in the first with a drive off the wall against Cole Ragans (0-3).
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Motions to dismiss charges in the case paint some of the officers as rookies deferring to their superiors.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
That will even be the case in a couple of weeks, as the draft rolls around and the Dolphins are slated to bring in 11 drafted rookies, with seven picks in the first three rounds.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Maxime Raynaud added 11 points and 15 rebounds for his 18th double-double of the season, the most among all rookies.
—Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Maxime Raynaud had 11 points and 16 rebounds for his 18th double-double of the season, the most among all rookies.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Jordi Fernández has spent most of this season talking about the Nets’ own rookies, their growing pains, their flashes, their timelines.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Crawford should be a strong candidate for MVP, while Jutting has been one of the league’s best rookies.
—The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
DeLauter, who leads all rookies with five homers and 11 RBIs, drove in José Ramírez and David Fry in the first with a drive off the wall against Cole Ragans (0-3).
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Motions to dismiss charges in the case paint some of the officers as rookies deferring to their superiors.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
That will even be the case in a couple of weeks, as the draft rolls around and the Dolphins are slated to bring in 11 drafted rookies, with seven picks in the first three rounds.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Maxime Raynaud added 11 points and 15 rebounds for his 18th double-double of the season, the most among all rookies.
—Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Maxime Raynaud had 11 points and 16 rebounds for his 18th double-double of the season, the most among all rookies.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Jordi Fernández has spent most of this season talking about the Nets’ own rookies, their growing pains, their flashes, their timelines.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rookies
Noun
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In China, OpenClaw has received a particularly fervent welcome among AI enthusiasts and novices alike.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
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For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Dermatologists say beginners need far fewer products than social media suggests — and the right basics can deliver real results.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
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This advanced beginners class is for players with some knowledge of the game who are working on hitting the ball consistently.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fabulous freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic combined for just 11 points in that game.—
Ryan Baker,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The limit is predicated on the idea that athletes should finish their collegiate careers around the same time as their classmates and shouldn’t hold roster spots that would otherwise go to incoming freshmen or transfer students.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Three other major candidates, all political newcomers, say an outsider is needed to shake up the status quo.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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For Kauffman newcomers, say international fans, the KC2026 transportation system could be an answer.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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According to accounts by the architect’s apprentices, the design came together in a matter of hours.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
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Rock stars and their equivalents in other genres often develop their craft in obscurity before being discovered; idols are apprentices, trained exhaustively by their management companies.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rookies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rookies. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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