English Reference
Adverb

anew

adv. manner
C1 Advanced US /əˈnu/ UK /ɐnjˈuː/ anew

adv.to do something again, but in a different way or with a fresh start. You use this when you want to forget the past and try something from the beginning.

adv.in a new or different way, typically after a period of interruption or failure. Often implies a fresh start or a complete revision of previous efforts.


SIMPLE

After the fire, they had to build their home anew.

CONTEXTUAL

The artist decided to scrap the original sketch and start the portrait anew on a fresh canvas.

COMPLEX

Having spent years in a career that brought him little joy, he moved to a different country to begin his life anew, leaving his old identity behind.

Usage

Typically placed at the end of a clause or after the verb it modifies.

Pitfall
They started anew the projectThey started the project anew

This adverb usually follows the direct object rather than sitting between the verb and the object.

Old games don’t necessarily need to be fixed to be appreciated anew.

The Guardian· 12 Aug 2026

Starting anew in New York City, Lazarus and his older sons, Isidor and Nathan, began to sell imported china, glassware and other crockery to retailers in the Northeast and South.

The Conversation· 11 Aug 2026

From Middle English onew, of newe, from Old English of niowe. By surface analysis, a- (“of, from”) + new.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old English of niowe
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated