old-fashioned

1 of 2

adjective

old-fash·​ioned ˈōl(d)-ˈfa-shənd 

1

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a past era

… wears an old-fashioned black bow tie …

—Green Peyton

doing it the old-fashioned way

b

: adhering to customs of a past era

good old-fashioned manners

2

: outmoded

old-fashioned views

old-fashionedly

ˈōl(d)-ˈfa-shən(d)-lē 

adverb

old-fashionedness

ˈōl(d)-ˈfa-shən(d)-nəs 

noun

old-fashioned

2 of 2

noun

: a cocktail usually made with whiskey, bitters, sugar, a twist of lemon peel, and a small amount of water or soda

Synonyms of old-fashioned

Adjective

• vintage
• antique
• retro
• traditional
• antiquated
• historical
• historic
• old-time
• old-school

Examples of old-fashioned in a Sentence

Adjective

an elegant, old-fashioned bun that was held in place with pearl hairpins

I'm so old-fashioned that I actually think people should use standard grammar and punctuation when composing e-mails

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The 1,800-square-foot Encinitas location, modeled after the company’s flagship in Costa Mesa, is designed to resemble a 1950s-style diner, complete with chrome accents and an old-fashioned pie case. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026

Advocates argued that decades of studies had identified the most effective ways to teach reading, which included teaching kids to sound out words using old-fashioned phonics, while emphasizing vocabulary and comprehension. — Lisa Chambers, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026

Noun

Its problem stemmed from an old-fashioned maturity mismatch between assets (such as loans and securities) and liabilities (such as deposits). — Kathleen Pender, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2023

However The Reporter Wants To Communicate While email is my primary means of starting a relationship with a reporter, that relationship can move to Twitter, text or an old-fashioned phone call. — Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1912, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for old-fashioned

• fashioned
• rationed
• impassioned
• refashioned

Kids Definition

old-fashioned

adjective

old-fash·​ioned

ˈōl(d)-ˈfash-ənd

1

: of, relating to, or like that of an earlier time

old-fashioned clothes

2

: holding fast to old ways : conservative