NOVICE Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

novice

noun

ˈnä-vəs

Definition of novice

as in beginner

a person who is just starting out in a field of activity a novice chess player

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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 novice An aurora photographer who spoke to National Geographic offered tips for novices trying to take photos of the phenomenon, including would-be photographers who only have access to a smartphone camera. — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Squarespace still uses a WYSIWYG editor, which may be more appealing to novice web builders. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 16 Aug. 2026 The epic eight-part Italian drama was widely acclaimed and streamed in the fall on Mubi, a relatively novice player in the episodic game. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 An obituary for Rothschild noted that the boy was a novice bike rider. — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for novice

Recent Examples of Synonyms for novice

Noun

Yarn crafters of all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced makers, the release said.

— Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
The Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ is one of the best telescopes for beginner-to-intermediate stargazers who want to view deep-sky objects and appreciate assistance in manually locating the targets.

— Paul Brett, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of beginner

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

Browse Nearby Words

novelty

novice

novices

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“Novice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/novice. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of novice

noun

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