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new kid on the block

new kid on the block

8 3.7
A person or thing new to a group that others do not know yet
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : nuevo en el barrio
  • Sometimes the new kid on the block gets picked on.
  • become the new kid on the block

And who is the new kid on the block that is not crumbling but is rising?

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Examples

  • Today, MMO gaming is the new kid on the block, growing ferociously and attracting media consumers from older fields.

    Blog text (16)
  • Word was getting around that there was a new kid on the block.

    Blog text (25)
  • You may be surprised to find that the new kid on the block is your new best friend.

    Blog text (14)
  • The Microsoft Surface may be the new kid on the block, but it has some clear advantages over the competition.

    Blog text (10)
  • As the new kid on the block, you will be viewed with a degree of skepticism by some classroom teachers.

    Academic text (1993)
  • But then there was a new kid on the block, Theo Blas, perhaps the biggest prodigy the climbing world has ever seen and still pretty unknown.

  • "Compared to a couple of heritage brands in 'Kiss' and 'Power,' we are still the new kid on the block," remarks Weatherly, whose focal point was to grow Los Angeles' CHR share.

    Blog text (16)
  • Thomas, on the other hand, is a big-bodied bruiser with much to prove, and Miller is the new kid on the block, boasting phenomenal vision and world-class wheels.

    Blog text (6)
  • Everyone remembers what it was like to be the new kid on the block in school.

  • As the new kid on the block, she was eager to make friends and fit in.

Synonyms

newcomer
vsnew kid on the block
123 1.6

A person who has recently arrived in a place, joined a group, or started an activity

is an informal, idiomatic expression rather than a formal label
newbie
vsnew kid on the block
  • Slang
60 4.7

A person who is new to a job or activity and has little experience

stresses recent arrival and being unfamiliar rather than only lack of experience
new kid in town
vsnew kid on the block
  • Informal
2 4.3

A person new to a place who people notice

is about being unfamiliar rather than necessarily drawing special attention
fledgling
vsnew kid on the block
1 6.8

A person or group new to an activity with little experience

focuses on being unfamiliar to others rather than the beginner growth stage
frosh
vsnew kid on the block
  • Informal
1 8.8

A new person with little experience in a job or group

is used broadly for recent arrivals beyond casual or student contexts
neoteric
vsnew kid on the block
9.9

A person new to a job or group

is a casual phrase used for that idea rather than a formal term
total newb
vsnew kid on the block
  • Slang
9.2

A person who is new to an activity and has little skill

is a general phrase for recent arrival not limited to online communities
just a joey
vsnew kid on the block
  • Australian
9.9

A person who is new and not experienced in a group or job

emphasizes youth or smallness rather than only recent arrival

Antonyms

39 5.2

A person who has done something for a long time and is respected for their experience

Known and accepted because it has existed for a long time

How New

new kid on the block
  • Informal
8 3.7
newcomer
123 1.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

new + kid + on + the + block

The meaning 'a person who has recently arrived and is unfamiliar' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'new' (recent), 'kid' (person, informal) and 'on the block' (in this neighborhood/area), forming a straightforward locative/compositional phrase. Because the relations are literal or minimally metaphorical and the concepts (newcomer, neighborhood) are cross-linguistically common, a B1 learner who knows the parts would very likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The phrase new kid on the block comes from the image of a new kid who moves into a street block and is the only unfamiliar face in the neighbourhood, so everyone notices them. That's why it now means 'a person or thing that has just arrived and is not yet known to others'.