1
a
: having its original qualities unimpaired: such as
(1)
: full of or renewed in vigor : refreshed
rose fresh from a good night's sleep
(2)
: not stale, sour, or decayed
fresh bread
(3)
: not faded
lessons fresh in her memory
(4)
: not worn or rumpled
a fresh white shirt
b
: not altered by processing
fresh vegetables
2
a
: not salt
fresh water
b(1)
: free from taint : pure
fresh air
(2)
of wind
: moderately strong
a fresh breeze
3
a(1)
: experienced, made, or received newly or anew
form fresh friendships
(2)
: additional, another
a fresh start
c
: lacking experience : raw
coming fresh to the job—
Helen Howe
Helen Howe
d
: just come or arrived
fresh from school
e
: having the milk flow recently established
a fresh cow
4
[probably by folk etymology from German frech]
: disposed to take liberties : impudent
don't get fresh with me
5
slang
: fashionable, cool
freshly
adverb
freshness
noun
1
: an increased flow or rush (as of water) : freshet
2
archaic
: a stream, spring, or pool of fresh water
Synonyms
Examples of fresh in a Sentence
Adjective
You can use either fresh or dried basil for this recipe.
The meat was kept fresh in the refrigerator.
a bouquet of fresh flowers
He changed into a fresh shirt.
She brought a fresh change of clothes.
She rose fresh from a good night's sleep.
Adverb
This bread was baked fresh.
Recent Examples on the WebRachel Barber, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Learn how to combine common household ingredients and fresh herbs to create fantastic self-care creations.
—The Enquirer, 14 Apr. 2024
Killorn said that coming to a new team on a four-year contract worth $25 million with a first-year head coach, a new system and completely fresh way of doing things were all challenges even before his finger and knee issues limited his ability to compete and condition.
—Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 14 Apr. 2024
Some of the new programs introduced in 2023 will return this year in fresh ways.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
The culinary program is all about local ingredients, keeping the food simple yet fresh and in a setting that's beyond photogenic.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
Available fresh nearly year-round, these vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients that help reduce the risk of developing cancer.
—Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
The 38-year-old is fresh, having played a career-low 26 minutes per game and missed six weeks with a fractured hand.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
In addition to hosting and executive producing his own late night show, Kimmel is fresh off of hosting the Academy Awards for the fourth time.
—Jaden Thompson, Variety, 2 Apr. 2024
Anna Tingley, Variety, 28 Jan. 2024
Those are still shucked fresh onto pies citywide, then served salty and chewy to pizza lovers in the know.
—Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024
The baked goods – pastry, doughnuts and rolls, come fresh every day from Harvest Bakery in Bristol, the bagels from Kettle Bagels in Southington.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2024
The lechón bowl is a neat stack of roast pork — your mixed meats might include shoulder, leg, loin and skin, paired with a sweet-onion escabeche and a plantain relish — atop whatever rice the guys are preparing fresh that day.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023
Here are some practical products to keep your wardrobe investments looking fresh: a fabric shaver that removes fuzz from your clothes and upholstery, and a handheld steamer that smoothes out wrinkles (and is small enough to pack into a bag).
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 4 Oct. 2023
Here are some practical products to keep your wardrobe investments looking fresh: a fabric shaver that removes fuzz from your clothes, and a handheld steamer that smoothes out wrinkles.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 11 Oct. 2023
Every item is made the night before by their team of bakers and sold fresh the following morning.
—oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2023
Corrin’s cut comes fresh off the heels of Florence Pugh’s rosy pink iteration at the Valentino couture show last week, calling to mind the onslaught of platinum and pastel buzz cuts that defined 2017.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 10 July 2023
Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 26 Feb. 2024
The Maya came up with ingenious solutions to keep their potable water fresh.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 9 Oct. 2023
All that has helped keep the Rubik’s Cube fresh in people’s minds.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 14 Jan. 2024
If making when corn is in season, feel free to substitute with fresh.
—Emily Nabors Hall, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2023
From simple ways to make your hotel room more comfortable to pointers on keeping your clothing fresh, these are my 18 favorite Amazon products that will help make your next trip smoother — which is always the goal for any travel agent.
—Jackie Cucco, Travel + Leisure, 10 Nov. 2023
Firstly, applying hot steam to clothes helps to kill bacteria and keep fabric fresh, so a shower steam or travel steamer can help in this respect.
—Lauren Burvill, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2023
These boots boast a unique anti-odor technology that minimizes the smell of a hard day on the trails, keeping you feeling (and smelling) fresh.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2023
Flashbacks keep the past fresh, particularly for Ely, whose skittishness and shame are unusually potent.
—Olivia Waite, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
Adjective
Instead of rallying around a fresh set of seats up and down the ballot, Justice sounded off talking points the crowd usually hears from the Republican party’s presumptive nominee Trump.
—Rachel Barber, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Learn how to combine common household ingredients and fresh herbs to create fantastic self-care creations.
—The Enquirer, 14 Apr. 2024
Killorn said that coming to a new team on a four-year contract worth $25 million with a first-year head coach, a new system and completely fresh way of doing things were all challenges even before his finger and knee issues limited his ability to compete and condition.
—Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 14 Apr. 2024
Some of the new programs introduced in 2023 will return this year in fresh ways.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
The culinary program is all about local ingredients, keeping the food simple yet fresh and in a setting that's beyond photogenic.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
Available fresh nearly year-round, these vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients that help reduce the risk of developing cancer.
—Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
The 38-year-old is fresh, having played a career-low 26 minutes per game and missed six weeks with a fractured hand.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2024
In addition to hosting and executive producing his own late night show, Kimmel is fresh off of hosting the Academy Awards for the fourth time.
—Jaden Thompson, Variety, 2 Apr. 2024
Adverb
The Ravens, meanwhile, enter the AFC Championship Game fresh off a 34-10 win against the Houston Texans.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 28 Jan. 2024
Those are still shucked fresh onto pies citywide, then served salty and chewy to pizza lovers in the know.
—Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024
The baked goods – pastry, doughnuts and rolls, come fresh every day from Harvest Bakery in Bristol, the bagels from Kettle Bagels in Southington.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2024
The lechón bowl is a neat stack of roast pork — your mixed meats might include shoulder, leg, loin and skin, paired with a sweet-onion escabeche and a plantain relish — atop whatever rice the guys are preparing fresh that day.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023
Here are some practical products to keep your wardrobe investments looking fresh: a fabric shaver that removes fuzz from your clothes and upholstery, and a handheld steamer that smoothes out wrinkles (and is small enough to pack into a bag).
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 4 Oct. 2023
Here are some practical products to keep your wardrobe investments looking fresh: a fabric shaver that removes fuzz from your clothes, and a handheld steamer that smoothes out wrinkles.
—Malia Griggs, SELF, 11 Oct. 2023
Every item is made the night before by their team of bakers and sold fresh the following morning.
—oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2023
Corrin’s cut comes fresh off the heels of Florence Pugh’s rosy pink iteration at the Valentino couture show last week, calling to mind the onslaught of platinum and pastel buzz cuts that defined 2017.
—Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 10 July 2023
Noun
To keep the matcha fresh, store your tin inside a resealable plastic bag.
—Kate Kassin, Bon Appétit, 26 Feb. 2024
The Maya came up with ingenious solutions to keep their potable water fresh.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 9 Oct. 2023
All that has helped keep the Rubik’s Cube fresh in people’s minds.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 14 Jan. 2024
If making when corn is in season, feel free to substitute with fresh.
—Emily Nabors Hall, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2023
From simple ways to make your hotel room more comfortable to pointers on keeping your clothing fresh, these are my 18 favorite Amazon products that will help make your next trip smoother — which is always the goal for any travel agent.
—Jackie Cucco, Travel + Leisure, 10 Nov. 2023
Firstly, applying hot steam to clothes helps to kill bacteria and keep fabric fresh, so a shower steam or travel steamer can help in this respect.
—Lauren Burvill, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Oct. 2023
These boots boast a unique anti-odor technology that minimizes the smell of a hard day on the trails, keeping you feeling (and smelling) fresh.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2023
Flashbacks keep the past fresh, particularly for Ely, whose skittishness and shame are unusually potent.
—Olivia Waite, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fresh.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Adverb, and Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French fresch, freis, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German frisc fresh; akin to Old English fersc fresh
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adverb
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of fresh was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing fresh
Dictionary Entries Near fresh
Cite this Entry
“Fresh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fresh. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
fresh
adjectiveˈfresh
1
a
: not frozen, canned, or pickled
fresh fish
fresh vegetables
b
: not stale, sour, or spoiled
fresh bread
c
: not worn, dirty, or wrinkled
a fresh shirt
2
a
: not salt
fresh water
b
: pure entry 1 sense 1, invigorating
fresh air
c
: fairly strong : brisk
fresh breeze
3
a
: newly made or received
a fresh wound
b
: new entry 1 sense 6
make a fresh start
c
: remaining clear or vivid
fresh in my mind
4
: behaving or talking in a rude or disrespectful way
don't get fresh with me
freshly
adverb
freshness
noun
Legal Definition
fresh
adjective1
a
: free of the detrimental effects of delay (as the fading of memories)
b
: characterized by promptness
2
: experienced, made, or received newly or anew
a resumed interrogation requiring fresh Miranda warnings
More from Merriam-Webster on fresh
Nglish: Translation of fresh for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of fresh for Arabic Speakers
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