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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of rookies
On Tuesday, the first round will take place as 30 rookies join the NBA.
—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2026
Starting immediately in the NBA happens to rookies who are either drafted in the top five or join organizations in full-rebuild mode.
—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2026
This season, the KCMO native ranks among the top American League rookies in extra-base hits (26), RBIs (40) and hits (59).
—
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
That doesn’t really leave room for any undrafted rookies to sneak onto the roster.
—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Walking alongside local student-athletes, the rookies spent the afternoon learning about the neighborhood's rich history, its cultural impact, and the generations of Black leaders who shaped it.
—
Jaelen Gilkey,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
For aspiring rookies, the audition process includes a trip to the salon for a makeover — some having subtle enhancements and others seeing much more dramatic transformations.
—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
The undrafted rookies didn’t get a lot of team work during the offseason program, but Wednesday offered a couple of opportunities for those players.
—
Nick Harris
june 19,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 June 2026
Delaney, Kutryk and Teteryatnikov are all rookies.
—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2026
Starting immediately in the NBA happens to rookies who are either drafted in the top five or join organizations in full-rebuild mode.
—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2026
This season, the KCMO native ranks among the top American League rookies in extra-base hits (26), RBIs (40) and hits (59).
—
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
That doesn’t really leave room for any undrafted rookies to sneak onto the roster.
—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Walking alongside local student-athletes, the rookies spent the afternoon learning about the neighborhood's rich history, its cultural impact, and the generations of Black leaders who shaped it.
—
Jaelen Gilkey,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
For aspiring rookies, the audition process includes a trip to the salon for a makeover — some having subtle enhancements and others seeing much more dramatic transformations.
—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
The undrafted rookies didn’t get a lot of team work during the offseason program, but Wednesday offered a couple of opportunities for those players.
—
Nick Harris
june 19,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 June 2026
Delaney, Kutryk and Teteryatnikov are all rookies.
—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rookies
Noun
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To create something wholly new, the narrative team looked back to other games with a low barrier to entry, particularly early 2000s Nintendo consoles that invited novices to join the fold.
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Mutchnick and Kohan were relative novices when NBC was gearing up to pick up their Will & Grace script to pilot in 1997.
Noun
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Each sits at a different performance level and price point, covering riders from complete beginners to older teens ready for more capable trail performance.
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Plus, check out more comfy running sneakers that are designed for long distances and walk-to-run beginners.
Noun
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Golden and assistant Carlin Hartman unknowingly started a partnership by pairing the freshmen as roommates.
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What’s more, nine of the top 10 picks were freshmen.
Noun
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Among the newcomers is Alannah Keyser, a 21-year-old film school student at the University of Southern California.
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But there’s no denying the global impact the newcomers had on the band, especially Nicks, who would go on to have a successful solo career as well.
Noun
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Guests will hear the shuffle of San Francisco outside the windows, phones ringing, and the lingering voices of apprentices or other clients.
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The location is intended to help students, technicians, apprentices, and engineers move directly into careers linked to quantum technologies.
Cite this Entry
“Rookies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rookies. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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