# freshly

/ˈfɹɛʃɫi/ (US) · /fɹˈɛʃli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/freshly
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. recently or newly

adverb · CEFR B1

very recently or just a short time ago.

For teachers: occurring or performed very recently. Often used as a modifier before a past participle to form a compound adjective.

- The smell of freshly baked bread filled the entire house.
- The scent of freshly mown grass drifted through the open window, signaling the start of the summer maintenance schedule.

Usage: Commonly precedes a past participle, such as 'freshly painted' or 'freshly squeezed'.

### 2. rudely

adverb · CEFR C2 · Informal · American English

in a way that is rude or shows a lack of respect.

For teachers: behaving in an impertinent, cheeky, or disrespectful manner.

- The child spoke freshly to his teacher and was sent to the office.
- He was reprimanded for acting freshly with the supervisor during the morning briefing.

Teaching tip: This sense is much less common than the 'recently' sense and is primarily found in older American English contexts.

## Examples

- The kitchen smells like freshly baked bread.
- She hung the freshly washed sheets on the line to dry in the afternoon sun.
- The museum's freshly renovated wing features state-of-the-art lighting designed to protect the delicate pigments of the Renaissance paintings.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.