aged

1 of 2

adjective

ˈā-jəd 

ˈājd;

ˈājd 

for sense 1b

1

: grown old: such as

a

: of an advanced age

an aged man

b

: having attained a specified age

a man aged 40 years

2

: typical of old age

… the aged wrinkles in my cheeks …

—Shakespeare

3

: having acquired a desirable quality or undergone an expected and desired change with the passage of time

aged wine

aged cheese

agedness

ˈā-jəd-nəs 

noun

aged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of age entry 2

Synonyms of aged

Adjective

• older
• elderly
• aging
• old

Examples of aged in a Sentence

Adjective

a group of men aged between 20 and 30

all the young men went to fight in the war; and only the aged and infirm remained behind

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Stephanie Cole, the popular British actress who was one of the stars of Open All Hours, has died aged 84. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

The museum tends to attract a broad swath of ages, from middle school on up to senior citizens—though school vacation periods do bring in a younger, elementary school–aged crowd, too. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

Several middle-aged Cubans drew a contrast with the 1990s Special Period, when the loss of Soviet aid and trade shrank the economy by about 35 percent but far fewer doctors and teachers left. — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026

By 2031, China will be a super-aged society, one in which 20% or more of the population is over 65, according to Li Xunlei, chief economist at Zhongtai Financial International. — Huiyee Chiew and Lyric Li The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from past participle of agen "to age entry 2" (modeled on Anglo-French agé)

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aged

• the aged
• the middle-aged

Rhymes for aged

• assuaged
• engaged
• enraged
• outraged
• teenaged
• unpaged
• caged
• gaged
• gauged
• paged
• raged
• staged

Kids Definition

aged

adjective

1

ˈā-jəd

: very old

an aged oak

2

ˈājd

: having reached a specified age

a child aged ten

agedness

ˈā-jəd-nəs 

noun