noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌnjuː ˈnɔːml̩/
General-American:/ˌn(j)u ˈnɔɹm(ə)l/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)məl
1
noun
Meaning 1
A current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, idiomatic
Examples
The new normal for this country is simply to survive economically.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The COVID-19 pandemic and associated social changes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: euphemistic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From new + normal.
Across languages
Translations
16 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Burmese:
ဓလေ့သစ်
(dha.le.sac)
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Chinese Mandarin:
新常態 /新常态
(xīnchángtài)
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Dutch:
nieuw normaal
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Finnish:
uusi normaali
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
French:
nouvelle normalité
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Galician:
nova normalidade
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
German:
neues Normal
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
German:
neue Normalität
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
German:
neuer Maßstab
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
German:
neuer Standard
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Norwegian Bokmål:
ny normal
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Portuguese:
novo normal
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Portuguese:
nova normalidade
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Spanish:
nueva normalidad
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Swedish:
nya normala
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
Welsh:
normal newydd
— current prevailing situation which has emerged recently, that differs dramatically from the previous one and is expected to remain
