BEGINNER Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

beginner

noun

bi-ˈgi-nər

Definition of beginner

as in novice

a person who is just starting out in a field of activity although our son is only a beginner at swimming, he is making excellent progress

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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.

Recent Examples of beginner Shop astronomy products for beginners on Amazon Of course, the best viewing will be away from lights and with no clouds. — Cheryl McCloud, Florida Times-Union, 24 Aug. 2026 Our group is so welcoming, and there are always more seasoned players willing to teach and play with beginners, like me. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 Classes run from September to November and range from beginner to advanced. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 For beginners, or those looking for low-maintenance growing, choosing bare-root, self-pollinating fruit trees is particularly beneficial. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beginner

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beginner

Noun

Professional and novice astronomers alike are getting excited about the partial lunar eclipse.

— Julia Gomez, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
But for a novice, relying on AI before mastering the fundamentals creates a technical debt that leads to a lack of depth.

— Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of novice

Noun

The battle for Charlotte’s wealth Charlotte’s hometown banking giants like Truist and Bank of America, as well as San Francisco’s Wells Fargo, are competing with aggressive out-of-state newcomers to capture clients.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Miami Beach today may be filled with newcomers, cranes and construction, deals and demolitions.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of newcomer

Noun

Davis, who attended Blue Valley North, was named Big 12 freshman of the week nine consecutive times.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
The senators cited a fall 2025 UC San Diego faculty work group paper that found about 1 in 12 incoming UCSD freshmen were testing below high school math standards, a share that the report said grew nearly thirtyfold since 2020.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of freshman

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begin

beginner

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“Beginner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beginner. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of beginner

noun

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