newfangled

N1E1W4F4A1N1G2L1E1D2
UK/ˌnjuːˈfæŋ.ɡəld/US/ˌnuˈfæŋ.ɡəld/

adjective

New and often needlessly novel or gratuitously different; recently devised or fashionable, especially when not an improvement.

“newfangled electronic gadgets that cost a lot and do little”

UncommonScrabble 18

Meanings

adjectivenewfangled (not comparable)

alternative new-fangled · alternative new fangled

  1. derogatorydisapprovinghumorousnot comparableusuallyNew and often needlessly novel or gratuitously different; recently devised or fashionable, especially when not an improvement.

    newfangled electronic gadgets that cost a lot and do little

    5 more examples

    We notice by our exchanges that great efforts are being made throughout the western States especially, to palm off upon the farming public various kinds of patent churns, or to induce many mechanics to give large sums for the Right to manufacture the same—while in a majority of cases, we believe, the articles are absolutely worthless, or inferior to older kinds that might be procured for less money. We have repeatedly cautioned our readers against purchasing these new fangled churns until after they have been more fully tested; and we are happy to know that our remarks have saved not a few of our friends from imposition. To set this matter in a clearer light before our readers, we will glance at a few of the different churns, now most prominently before the public—some valuable, some useless.

    1849 January 15, “A Glance at Patent Churns”, in Ohio Cultivator: Devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture and Domestic Economy, volume 5, number 2, page 17

    Premier Mussolini operated a “new-fangled automobile” driven by electricity on a trial run yesterday, the German Transocean agency reported in a wireless transmission to the United States recorded by the New York Times.

    1942 September 6, “Mussolini Takes Wheel; Tries Out ‘New-Fangled’ Auto Driven by Electricity”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

    From the Marvel Mixmaster to the Miracle Microwave, every time a new-fangled gadget has lobbed into the Aussie kitchen, Aussie mums have changed their cooking styles accordingly.

    1987, Kerry Cue, Hang On To Your Horses Doovers, page 5

    I have tried all the medium and short acting non-barbiturate sedatives since the war (including thalidomide) but they don’t work and I don’t trust the newfangled long acting, “safe” analgesics.

    1988, E[dward] J[ames] Moran Campbell, Not Always on the Level, [London]: British Medical Journal, →ISBN, page 194

    [US president Donald Trump] might have in mind a newfangled protectionism that lasts generations.

    2025 January 23, Laurent Belsie, “Globalization is over. Will Trump tariffs reset US-China rivalry?”, in The Christian Science Monitor

    Antonyms: oldfangled, old-fashioned

  2. not comparableFond of novelty.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveNew and often needlessly novel or gratuitously different; recently devised or fashionable, especially when not an improvement.

More synonyms by meaning

adjective(of a new kind or fashion) gratuitously new

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From new + fangled, from obsolete fangle (“to fashion”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek καινοπρεπής
  • καινοπρεπής (kainoprepḗs)modern, unfamiliar or different
Chinese Mandarin 新奇的, 流行的
  • 新奇的modern, unfamiliar or different
  • 流行的modern, unfamiliar or different
  • 新式的modern, unfamiliar or different
Danish nymodens
  • nymodensmodern, unfamiliar or different
Dutch nieuwerwets, nieuwbakken
  • nieuwerwetsmodern, unfamiliar or different
  • nieuwbakkenmodern, unfamiliar or different
Finnish uusi hieno
  • uusi hienomodern, unfamiliar or different
French d'un nouveau genre
  • d'un nouveau genremodern, unfamiliar or different
German neumodisch
  • neumodischmodern, unfamiliar or different
Hungarian új keletű, újsütetű
  • új keletűmodern, unfamiliar or different
  • újsütetűmodern, unfamiliar or different
Irish nua-aimseartha
  • nua-aimsearthamodern, unfamiliar or different
Japanese 新しもの好きの
  • 新しもの好きの (atarashi mono suki no)modern, unfamiliar or different
Norwegian nymotens
  • nymotensmodern, unfamiliar or different
Polish nowomodny
  • nowomodnymodern, unfamiliar or different
Portuguese moderninho
  • moderninhomodern, unfamiliar or different
Russian новомо́дный
  • новомо́дный (novomódnyj)modern, unfamiliar or different
Spanish moderno, ultramoderno
  • modernomodern, unfamiliar or different
  • ultramodernomodern, unfamiliar or different
Welsh newyddllyd
  • newyddllydmodern, unfamiliar or different
Cite this entry
APA

newfangled. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/newfangled

MLA

“newfangled.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/newfangled. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “newfangled,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/newfangled.

Source: newfangled on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.