obsolete

adjective ob·so·lete \ ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt , ˈäb-sə-ˌlēt \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: obsolete in a Sentence

Definition of obsolete

1 a : no longer in use or no longer useful

an obsolete word

b : of a kind or style no longer current : old-fashioned

an obsolete technology

farming methods that are now obsolete

2 of a plant or animal part : indistinct or imperfect as compared with a corresponding part in related organisms : vestigial

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obsoletely

adverb

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obsoleteness

noun

See obsolete defined for English-language learners

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Examples of obsolete in a Sentence

It may not be welcome news in her home state of Pennsylvania, but chemist Cynthia Kuper could help make steel obsolete. Experimenting with carbon nanotubes, structures a few atoms wide but 100 times stronger and much lighter than steel, Kuper calls her work an "amusement park discovery." —Joanna Chung, Newsweek, 23 Sept. 2002
He exercised a right so rare, at this the fag-end of the century, as to be practically obsolete. The most fundamental right of all. The right to be the good guy. —Zadie Smith, White Teeth, 2000
I never had parents, really. My mom was gone, my dad was at work or with his girlfriends, we had baby-sitters. My parents were obsolete. —Jonathan Kozol, Voices From the Future, 1993
The system was made obsolete by their invention.
I was told my old printer is obsolete and I can't get replacement parts.

Recent Examples of obsolete from the Web

Dolan says new technology has made traditional tests obsolete.

— CBS News, "Jahi McMath, girl at center of debate over brain death, dies, mother says," 29 June 2018
McConnell buried a 3 for a 14-point lead that would soon make that combination obsolete.

— dan gelston, courant.com, "76ers Hold Off Elimination With 103-92 Win Over Celtics," 7 May 2018
Directors have had to unlearn all the old ways it was once done. Billowing drapery, the dimming of lights, a sudden curtain: that entire evasive language is old hat, as obsolete a thing now as barrel staves and buggy whips.

— max maller, Chicago Reader, "Fucking Men struggles with onstage intimacy realness," 11 July 2018
The architectural and design study lays out a range of options for the future of the convention center and, potentially, the arena, to replace obsolete facilities with ones on par with competitors in Washington, Philadelphia and beyond.

— scott dance, baltimoresun.com, "Report: Baltimore Convention Center expansion, including new arena and hotel, could take six years," 6 July 2018
The $13 million building would feature a new library branch, replacing the obsolete Mill Road Library at 6431 N. 76th St., and 65 apartments on the upper levels.

— tom daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Delayed library/apartment development on Milwaukee's northwest side getting more time," 28 June 2018
England’s golden era is nearly an obsolete memory, with its sole title coming in 1966.

— martin rogers, USA TODAY, "With champion Germany out, who's the World Cup 'favorite' now?," 27 June 2018
In the early 2000s, the replacement of old-school incandescent lights with LEDs largely rendered the Clark Griswold-style of massive though static displays obsolete.

— bill bannks, ajc, "Tony Paradowski, 60: Decatur’s maestro of Christmas-light magic," 22 June 2018
The odd practice of giving out an obsolete menu from which diners couldn't order left the servers to offer a slightly awkward explanation, which pointed up some other bumpy elements of the service.

— kate washington, sacbee, "It’s good to be back: Celestin’s revives its particular brand of gumbo and grace," 22 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of obsolete

Latin obsoletus, from past participle of obsolescere to grow old, become disused, perhaps from ob- toward + solēre to be accustomed

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1579

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

obsolete Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of obsolete

old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete mean having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past. old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

- old houses
- an old sweater of mine

ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

- ancient accounts of dragons

venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

- the family's venerable patriarch

antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.

- collected antique Chippendale furniture

antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

- antiquated teaching methods

archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

- the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence.

- a computer that makes earlier models obsolete

obsolete

verb ob·so·lete \ ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt , ˈäb-sə-ˌlēt \

Definition of obsolete

obsoleted; obsoleting

transitive verb

: to make (something) old-fashioned or no longer useful : make obsolete

Examples of obsolete in a Sentence

While many … do describe various small, quick-loading 35mm film cartridges, modern technology has obsoleted these. —Herbert Keppler, Popular Photography, November 1993
… older cpu's whose speed and efficiency never were fully tapped before they were effectively obsoleted by their manufacturers … —Edith Myers, Datamation, November 1977
For radio itself deliberately obsoletes today what it built yesterday. —David Sarnoff, Television, 1936