freshman

noun

fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən How to pronounce freshman (audio)
often attributive
1
: a student in the first year of high school or college
2
: beginner, newcomer
especially : a person who is starting a job or activity
freshman lawmakers

Examples of freshman in a Sentence

My daughter's a freshman at UCLA. He was the best freshman in professional basketball this year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Tigers played him as a wideout during his freshman season, then transitioned him to the slot ahead of his breakout season in 2023. Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2025 The 19-year-old guard averaged 11.6 points per game during his productive freshman season. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025 Charlie Cerrato attended Fallston High as a freshman. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2025 Johnson has been labeled as the best shooter in the draft class after averaging 19.9 points per game on nearly 40 percent shooting from distance as a freshman for Texas. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for freshman

Word History

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of freshman was in 1557

Cite this Entry

“Freshman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freshman. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

freshman

noun
fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən How to pronounce freshman (audio)
1
2
: a student in the first year (as of high school or college)

More from Merriam-Webster on freshman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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