NOVEL Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'novel' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of novel are fresh , new , and original . While all these words mean "having recently come into existence or use," novel applies to what is not only new but strange or unprecedented. // a novel approach to the problem

Q: When could 'fresh' be used to replace 'novel'?

While the synonyms fresh and novel are close in meaning, fresh applies to what has not lost its qualities of newness such as liveliness, energy, brightness. // a fresh start

Q: In what contexts can 'new' take the place of 'novel'?

Although the words new and novel have much in common, 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

Q: When might 'original' be a better fit than 'novel'?

The meanings of original and novel largely overlap; however, original applies to what is the first of its kind to exist. // a man without one original idea

novel 1 of 2

noun

Definition of novel next

as in narrative

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in novelette

Synonyms & Similar Words

novel

2 of 2

adjective

ˈnä-vəl

as in new

not known or experienced before that's a novel idea for a TV series

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective novel differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of novel are fresh, new, and original. While all these words mean "having recently come into existence or use," novel applies to what is not only new but strange or unprecedented.

a novel approach to the problem

When could fresh be used to replace novel?

While the synonyms fresh and novel are close in meaning, fresh applies to what has not lost its qualities of newness such as liveliness, energy, brightness.

a fresh start

In what contexts can new take the place of novel?

Although the words new and novel have much in common, 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 might original be a better fit than novel?

The meanings of original and novel largely overlap; however, original applies to what is the first of its kind to exist.

a man without one original idea

Examples Sentences

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Recent Examples of novel

Noun

In an email last week, Gosney told the Herald that no one spoke to him with concerns about his novel. —

Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025 Comments 1929: the year Popeye made his comic strip debut, Mickey Mouse uttered his first word, and Ernest Hemingway published the landmark novel A Farewell to Arms. —

Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 2 Jan. 2025

Adjective

Creativity And Tone Testing LLM models are not only asked to return accurate and reliable results but are also expected to create novel responses that rival the creativity of human minds. —

Margarita Simonova, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024 The device was unlike anything that had come before, and showed us a novel vision of how these newfangled AI agents would fit into our lives. —

Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 27 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for novel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for novel

Noun

The South Asian American ethnic sub-genre also stands out for its take on family relations, which contrast with the typical narratives about heroines who fly the nest and learn to live independently.

H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
But the narrative that there hasn't been much progress since then is undermined by significant under-the-radar advancements.

Garrison Lovely, TIME, 8 Jan. 2025