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newly married
/ˈnuːli ˈmærid/
recently wed
The newly married couple went on a honeymoon to Bali.
The couple who recently got married traveled to Bali for their honeymoon.
neutral
having recently entered into marriage
The newly married pair moved into their first home together.
The recently married couple started living together in their new house.
At the party, all the newly married friends shared their honeymoon stories.
At the gathering, the friends who had recently married talked about their trips.
Used to describe people or couples who have recently gotten married. Often implies a period of adjustment or excitement following marriage.
Collocations
newly married couplea pair who have recently wednewly married lifethe early phase of marriagenewly married homea house where a recently married couple lives
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing
While 'newly married' is useful, it can sound repetitive in narratives. Alternate with phrases like 'the couple,' 'the pair,' or 'the husband and wife' after the first mention.
Gold Rule
Time frame
Use 'newly married' only for couples in the early stages of marriage, typically within the first 1-2 years. For longer marriages, use 'long-married' or specify the duration (e.g., 'married for 10 years').
Word Origin
The phrase combines 'newly' (from Old English 'nīwe,' meaning 'recently') and 'married' (past participle of 'marry,' from Old English 'mærian,' meaning 'to give in marriage'). The compound emerged in the 19th century to describe couples in the early stages of marriage.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in social contexts to describe couples in their first year or two of marriage. Avoid using for couples married for more than a few years unless referring to a specific anniversary (e.g., 'newly married for their 10th anniversary').
Word Breakdown
newly
recently or just
adverbmarried
having entered into marriage
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary