new to him

USAGE SUMMARY

"new to him" is an appropriate phrase for written English.
You can use it to describe something that an individual is experiencing for the first time. For example: "The task of leading a team was new to him, but he quickly grew accustomed to the role."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

All new to him.

The New York Times - Sports

But they were not new to him.

The New York Times

"It's nothing new to him".

The New York Times - Sports

"Depression was new to him".

The New Yorker

The program was not new to him.

The New York Times

Each was entirely new to him.

The Washington Post

"This is all new to him".

The New York Times - Sports

South American politics were new to him.

The New Yorker

This was not new to him.

The New Yorker

It's not something new to him.

The New York Times - Sports

His riches are not new to him.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "new to him" to describe situations where someone is encountering something for the first time, emphasizing their inexperience or lack of familiarity. For example: "Public speaking was new to him, but he handled it with surprising confidence."

Common error

Avoid using "new to him" in highly formal or technical writing where more precise language may be required. In such contexts, consider alternatives like "unfamiliar" or "unprecedented".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "new to him" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate that something is a novel experience for the person in question. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is frequently employed in various contexts to describe someone's initial exposure to something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "new to him" is a grammatically sound and frequently used way to express that someone is experiencing something for the first time. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriateness in written English. It is versatile, appearing in news, media, and academic contexts, though it tends toward informal usage. When writing, ensure the context suits the level of formality, and consider more precise language like "unfamiliar" or "unprecedented" for highly formal writing. Remember that it's helpful for emphasizing inexperience or lack of familiarity in a certain situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfamiliar to him

Replaces "new" with a synonym, emphasizing a lack of prior knowledge.

a first for him

Emphasizes that this is the inaugural instance for him.

a novel experience for him

Uses "novel experience" to convey newness, adding emphasis on the experience itself.

he was unaccustomed to it

Highlights the lack of habituation or familiarity.

something he hadn't encountered before

Focuses on the lack of prior exposure to something.

brand new to him

Adds emphasis using "brand new" to show that something is completely different.

foreign to him

Highlights the unfamiliar and perhaps strange nature of something.

uncharted territory for him

Metaphorically describes the situation as unexplored and unknown.

out of his element

Indicates discomfort or unfamiliarity in a new situation.

a learning experience for him

Focuses on the educational aspect of a new encounter.

FAQs

How can I use "new to him" in a sentence?

You can use "new to him" to describe something someone is experiencing for the first time. For example, "The responsibilities of a manager were "new to him", but he adapted quickly".

What's a more formal alternative to "new to him"?

For more formal situations, you might use phrases like "unfamiliar to him" or "unprecedented for him" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "new for him" instead of "new to him"?

While "new for him" might be understood, ""new to him"" is the more idiomatic and commonly used phrase.

What's the difference between "new to him" and "experienced by him for the first time"?

"New to him" is a concise way to indicate lack of prior experience, while "experienced by him for the first time" is a more descriptive and slightly more formal way of conveying the same idea.