fresh
frehsh
Fresh (adjective) means Newly made, picked, or obtained; not old or stale. Example: “Let's start with a fresh sheet of paper and try again.”
adjective
1
Newly made, picked, or obtained; not old or stale.
"Let's start with a fresh sheet of paper and try again."
"She bought fresh bread from the bakery this morning."
"We need fresh ideas for this campaign."
2
Not preserved by freezing, drying, or canning.
"I prefer fresh herbs in this sauce because dried ones taste duller."
"The market sells fresh fish straight off the boats."
"Fresh vegetables taste better than frozen ones."
3
Rested and full of energy; not tired.
"Despite the long flight, she arrived looking surprisingly fresh and cheerful."
"I will tackle the report in the morning when my mind is fresh."
"After a good night's sleep, he felt fresh and ready to work."
4
Cool and invigorating, especially air or weather.
"It was a fresh, bright morning, and the grass was still wet."
"Open the window and let in some fresh air."
"A fresh breeze blew in off the sea."
5
Informal: rude, cheeky, or overly forward, especially in a flirtatious way.
"The waiter was a bit fresh with the customers, and the manager spoke to him."
"She slapped his hand away and told him not to be so fresh."
"Don't get fresh with me, young man."
verb
1
To make something fresh again; to freshen or renew.
"She freshed the room with new curtains and a bowl of flowers."
"A splash of paint freshed the tired old fence."
"They freshed up the display before the customers arrived."
How to use fresh
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNew, clean, or not spoiled — and informally, "getting fresh" means acting rude or too forward.
Common mistake
When used to mean "cheeky" or "flirtatious," fresh is informal — don't use it in formal writing.
Common pairings
fresh air
fresh start
fresh produce
get fresh
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Word forms
- Plural
- freshes
- Third person singular
- freshes
- Past tense
- freshed
- Comparative
- fresher
- Superlative
- freshest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Let's start with a _____ sheet of paper and try again.
Etymology
From Old English fersc ("fresh, pure"), tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "fresh." Related to German frisch and French frais.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for fresh
See all rhymes for fresh →Frequently asked questions
What does “fresh” mean?
The word “fresh” means newly made, picked, or obtained; not old or stale. In plain terms, new, clean, or not spoiled — and informally, "getting fresh" means acting rude or too forward.
How do you pronounce “fresh”?
“Fresh” is pronounced frehsh (/fɹɛʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “fresh” in a sentence?
Here is “fresh” used in a sentence: “She bought fresh bread from the bakery this morning.”
What part of speech is “fresh”?
Depending on how it is used, “fresh” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “fresh” come from?
The word “fresh” comes from French. From Old English fersc ("fresh, pure"), tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "fresh." Related to German frisch and French frais.
Is “fresh” a common word?
“Fresh” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “fresh” have?
“Fresh” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: newly made, picked, or obtained; not old or stale.
What is the difference between fresh and stale?
They are opposites when describing food. Fresh means newly made, picked, or obtained, still in good condition. Stale means old and past its best, having lost moisture, flavour, or crispness — like bread that has gone hard. Fresh food tastes at its peak; stale food has started to decline.
What does fresh mean when describing water?
Fresh water means water that is not salty, the kind found in most rivers, lakes, and rain, as opposed to seawater. In this sense fresh describes the type of water rather than how new it is. Fresh can also mean clean and drinkable, as in a fresh mountain stream.
Does fresh only describe food?
No. Beyond food, fresh describes anything new or recently arrived — fresh ideas, a fresh start, fresh snow, or fresh news. It can mean clean and invigorating, like fresh air. Informally, being fresh with someone can even mean being cheeky or overly bold, so context matters.
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