old maid
noun
1
2
: a prim fussy person
he was a real old maid about burning rubbish—
R. C. Ruark
R. C. Ruark3
: a simple card game in which cards are matched in pairs and the player holding the unmatched card at the end loses
Examples of old maid in a Sentence
In my generation, you were considered an old maid at 25.
Recent Examples on the Web
Many of Another Period’s best gags come out of its suffragette story line, led by old maid and eldest Bellacourt sister Hortense and her Newport Association of Gal Spinsters, or NAGS.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
My dad was divorced, and my mom was an old maid by Belarusian standards.
—Diana Ruzova, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
In contrast to the depictions of suffragists as dowdy old maids, the woman portrayed in this postcard is conventionally attractive and fashionably dressed.
—Natalie Kinkade, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2024
As fans have known since Bridgerton’s first season finale, Whistledown is none other than Penelope Featherington—the clever wallflower (played with verve and empathy by Nicola Coughlan) who has languished long enough without nuptial prospects to be considered an old maid.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 16 May 2024
Who knew that enduring such abuse could turn this dowdy old maid into an unlikely local celebrity?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Jan. 2024
This was true especially for women who did not fit into typical gendered roles like the virtuous bride, the good mother or the helpful old maid.
—Joel Christensen, The Conversation, 15 Nov. 2022
And who didn’t end up an old maid.
—Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022
An old maid at six and twenty, Kate arrives in London with her mother, Lady Mary Sharma (Shelley Conn), and younger half-sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran).
—Katie Rife, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2022
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Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
My dad was divorced, and my mom was an old maid by Belarusian standards.
—Diana Ruzova, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
In contrast to the depictions of suffragists as dowdy old maids, the woman portrayed in this postcard is conventionally attractive and fashionably dressed.
—Natalie Kinkade, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2024
As fans have known since Bridgerton’s first season finale, Whistledown is none other than Penelope Featherington—the clever wallflower (played with verve and empathy by Nicola Coughlan) who has languished long enough without nuptial prospects to be considered an old maid.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 16 May 2024
Who knew that enduring such abuse could turn this dowdy old maid into an unlikely local celebrity?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Jan. 2024
This was true especially for women who did not fit into typical gendered roles like the virtuous bride, the good mother or the helpful old maid.
—Joel Christensen, The Conversation, 15 Nov. 2022
And who didn’t end up an old maid.
—Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022
An old maid at six and twenty, Kate arrives in London with her mother, Lady Mary Sharma (Shelley Conn), and younger half-sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran).
—Katie Rife, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Old maid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old%20maid. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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