elderly

adjective

el·der·ly | \ˈel-dər-lē

Definition of elderly

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : rather old especially : being past middle age

b : old-fashioned

2 : of, relating to, or characteristic of later life or elderly persons

elderly

noun

plural elderly or elderlies

Definition of elderly (Entry 2 of 2)

: an elderly person

Other Words from elderly Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about elderly

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Synonyms & Antonyms for elderly

Synonyms: Adjective

aged, aging (or ageing), ancient, geriatric, long-lived, old, older, senescent, senior

Antonyms: Adjective

young, youthful

Examples of elderly in a Sentence

Adjective

The program is intended to provide medical care for elderly people. elderly people who stay active are usually the healthiest and the happiest

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

There are photos of elderly Judy Garland with no makeup. — refinery29.com, "The New Season Of You Must Remember This Explores Hollywood’s First Fake News Hoax," 9 July 2018 The Trump administration has made them a priority, encouraging states to put forward proposals that require many nondisabled, non-elderly adults to work or look for employment. — Dylan Scott, Vox, "Federal judge blocks Kentucky’s Medicaid work requirements," 29 June 2018 Shanifinne Ball is unemployed and cares for her elderly uncle in a trendy, fast-changing part of the US capital. — The Christian Science Monitor, "Washington D.C. sued for putting 'creative class' above minority communities," 28 June 2018 Only in Ojai, one guesses, has an elderly audience member come up to him in tears, thanking him for the experience. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "The Sonic Fury of the Ojai Music Festival," 24 June 2018 More traditional barriers also prevent some elderly individuals from taking part in clinical trials. — Ankur Parikh, STAT, "We need more answers about immunotherapy for the elderly," 22 June 2018 Some hoped to fetch a small fortune, others simply wanted to clear out an elderly parent’s house. — Jessica Anderson, baltimoresun.com, "Toy-collecting couple in Towson in search of dolls, trains and treasures of the past," 23 June 2018 The rebooted series had explored drug use, financial problems and caring for an elderly parent. — Hal Boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Roseanne gone; Goodman, Metcalf offer hope," 22 June 2018 Imagine using it to non-intrusively keep tabs on the sleeping, eating, and moving schedules of an elderly parent, as well as signs of distress. — Matt Simon, WIRED, "Forget X-Ray Vision. You Can See Through Walls With Radio," 12 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elderly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.