antediluvian 1 of 2

adjective

ˌan-ti-də-ˈlü-vē-ən How to pronounce antediluvian (audio)
Definition of antediluviannext
as in ancient
dating or surviving from the distant past found evidence in the Middle East of an antediluvian people previously unknown to history

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

antediluvian

2 of 2

noun

as in conservative
a person with old-fashioned ideas thought his dad was an antediluvian for refusing to use any social media

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of antediluvian
Adjective
This antediluvian town knows — and that, too, is part of its multimillion-dollar charm — that in a world of rapidly upgrading software and all-subsuming artificial intelligence, natural wisdom must be nurtured and celebrated. — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025 Not a bad start, definitely auspicious, which makes the antediluvian inspirations behind these sparkling party dresses all the more mysterious. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025 Image Still, Professor Bogdanor said, the antediluvian nature of the Lords eroded faith in government generally, particularly among young people. — Mark Landler, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024 Eliminating antediluvian student loan debts held by vulnerable older adults seems both just and good public policy. — Next Avenue, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for antediluvian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antediluvian
  1. ancient
  2. conservative
  3. venerable
  4. fossil
  5. medieval
  6. fogy
  7. old
  8. veteran
Adjective
  • The company’s Orick sawmill began operating in 1954 and processed ancient redwoods for 55 years before closing in October 2009.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • The disaster also prompted the study of ancient floods as a way to gauge how common large flash floods are in specific areas — a field called paleoflood hydrology.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
Definition of ancient
Noun
  • Liberal advocacy groups urged FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to end his attacks on ABC, and conservative groups warned Carr not to set a precedent that would harm conservatives in future administrations.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2026
  • First elected to Congress in the 1994 Republican revolt that swept the GOP to power, Graham was part of a new era of conservatives to take their seats in the House — and among the first Republicans from his Southern state since Reconstruction.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of conservative
Adjective
  • There's no shortage of high-end vehicles to drive these days and venerable automakers are competing to produce the greatest, most luxurious and flashiest status symbols.
    — Morgan Korn, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • Dhani Harrison, the son of George Harrison, and venerable producer Nigel Godrich have formed a new duo.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 22 July 2026
Definition of venerable
Noun
  • The electricity grids in some of the EU’s hottest countries also have the highest fossil-fuel reliance, including Italy (49%), Greece (52%), Cyprus (76%), and Malta (85%).
    — Oliver Balch, Fortune, 27 July 2026
  • Dinosaurs roamed the Earth for about 180 million years, but only a few thousand near-complete fossils have been discovered.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of fossil
Adjective
  • The now extinct lineage branched off after medieval European strains but before those that gave rise to modern smallpox.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 30 July 2026
  • There’s even a fitness area overlooking the medieval village.
    — Tianna Soto, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2026
Definition of medieval
Noun
  • There’s no old fogey-ness to Lorne.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
  • For the benefit of us old fogies?
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of fogy
Adjective
  • Unlike my original e-bike, the Huffy includes metal fenders, a metal chain guard, and a battery that can charge in or out of the bike - all for a third of the price of my old bike.
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Tyler James Feehan shared memories of the 25-year-old who was killed on July 17 as a result of Iranian strikes on Jordan.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of old
Noun
  • Disability spans every age, race, culture and socioeconomic background, and investment in accessibility and inclusive programming tends to ripple outward, improving experiences for older adults, veterans, families and caregivers along the way.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The Panthers had already moved to protect themselves on the left side, signing veteran tackle Rasheed Walker in March as a potential replacement for Ekwonu.
    — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of veteran

Browse Nearby Words

antedating
antediluvian
antediluvians
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Antediluvian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antediluvian. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All