The meaning of NEWLY is lately, recently. How to use newly in a sentence. (Definition of newly from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Recently and newly are both used to indicate that something happened only a short time ago.

Understanding the Context

There is no difference in meaning, but newly can only be used with an '-ed' form, usually in front of a noun. Definition of newly adverb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 new ly (no̅o̅′ lē, nyo̅o̅′ -), adv.

Key Insights

recently; lately: a newly married couple. anew or afresh: a newly repeated slander. in a new manner or form: a room newly decorated. There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the adverb newly, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Final Thoughts

'Newly' comes from the Old English word 'niwe', meaning fresh or recent. The suffix '-ly' is used to form adverbs, turning the adjective 'new' into 'newly' to describe how something is done. NEWLY definition: recently; lately. See examples of newly used in a sentence.