1
as in venerable
dating or surviving from the distant past
Rome's ancient ruins remain carefully preserved even in the midst of the bustle of the modern city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in older
being of advanced years and especially past middle age
used to think that age 40 was ancient until I turned 40 myself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in primitive
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
the ancient Inca built a vast network of roads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in elder
a person of advanced years
ancients in the tribe are accorded great respect and valued for their wisdom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ancient
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
29 June 2026
Musical performers may wear pantaloons or flowing gowns while strumming ancient instruments.
—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2026
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
No full moons, no silver bullets, no ancients curses and the like, just a title card at the beginning of the film stating that wolf man sightings have been a phenomenon since indigenious peoples ruled the Americas.
—
Scott Phillips,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancient
Adjective
Together, the band brings to life a mythic world of ancient heroes and villains, attracting an excited audience of headbangers and fantasy fanatics, many of whom show up in costume.
—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
29 June 2026
Musical performers may wear pantaloons or flowing gowns while strumming ancient instruments.
—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2026
Noun
Read More: These 5 Ancient Civilizations Treasured Their Pets
Coping with Critters
The discovery of archeological remains has helped scientists better understand how ancients coped with bothersome critters.
—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
No full moons, no silver bullets, no ancients curses and the like, just a title card at the beginning of the film stating that wolf man sightings have been a phenomenon since indigenious peoples ruled the Americas.
—
Scott Phillips,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancient
Adjective
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The 60th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is gearing up to celebrate the venerable Czech fest’s past and, at the same time, guide it into its future.
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Cosmetics, as venerable as mirrors, boomed to an unprecedented degree.
Adjective
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The infant, who is 9 months old, was rescued along with her mother, the State Department told Fox News Digital.
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While students honed their skills at the Santa Monica studio for the last year and four months, Blanck found an old pilates studio in Pacific Highlands for rent, but the numbers just didn't add up.
Adjective
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These few extra channels—combined with some sounds ripped from an expansion for the MSX, another 8-bit console—were enough to transcend the Game Boy’s original limitations while still evoking the handheld system’s primitive beauty.
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Likewise, primitive asteroidal bodies are somewhat like fossilized remnants of the building blocks of the solar system's planets, including Earth.
Noun
-
Morris, his wife, Debbie, the church, along with a group of current and former church elders and a former employee, still face a $1 million defamation suit filed by Cindy Clemishire and her father.
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Meanwhile, the Gen Zers now aging into homebuying represent a smaller cohort than their elders.
Adjective
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At work, Kirkham uses an antique sand hourglass which times an hour.
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The cedar’s visible woodgrain adds a rustic quality, and the roof’s shingles create an antique aesthetic.
Adjective
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One of them was a plan by Newsom to put a $2,000 assets limit on low-income elderly people receiving Medi-Cal, which also did not make it into Friday’s agreement.
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An elderly man with a black eye was greeted with applause after his rescue.
Adjective
-
The museum uses Akrotiri as a point of reference for the life and culture of prehistoric Thira.
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The fraught subject of the proper disposition of those human remains has taken on a new sensitivity — both for the prehistoric people’s Native American successors in Florida, and for the archaeologists and developers encountering them.
Noun
-
Depending on their height, many kids may choose to go solo, but rides are designed so older siblings and adults can join them, if desired.
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It’s commonly used to correct issues with breathing, swallowing, talking and chewing in both adults and children.
Cite this Entry
“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancient. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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