ANCIENT Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'ancient' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ancient are antiquated , antique , archaic , obsolete , old , and venerable . While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past. // ancient accounts of dragons

Q: When can 'antiquated' be used instead of 'ancient'?

The meanings of antiquated and ancient largely overlap; however, antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time. // antiquated teaching methods

Q: When is it sensible to use 'antique' instead of 'ancient'?

Although the words antique and ancient have much in common, antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time. // collected antique Chippendale furniture

Q: When could 'archaic' be used to replace 'ancient'?

The words archaic and ancient are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time. // the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

Q: When is 'obsolete' a more appropriate choice than 'ancient'?

While the synonyms obsolete and ancient are close in meaning, 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

Q: When would 'old' be a good substitute for 'ancient'?

The words old and ancient can be used in similar contexts, but old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence. // old houses // an old sweater of mine

Q: When might 'venerable' be a better fit than 'ancient'?

The synonyms venerable and ancient are sometimes interchangeable, but venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age. // the family's venerable patriarch

ancient 1 of 2

adjective

ˈān(t)-shənt

Definition of ancient

as in venerable

dating or surviving from the distant past Rome's ancient ruins remain carefully preserved even in the midst of the bustle of the modern city

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in older

being of advanced years and especially past middle age used to think that age 40 was ancient until I turned 40 myself

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as in primitive

relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period the ancient Inca built a vast network of roads

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ancient

2 of 2

noun

as in elder

a person of advanced years ancients in the tribe are accorded great respect and valued for their wisdom

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ancient differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ancient are antiquated, antique, archaic, obsolete, old, and venerable. While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

When can antiquated be used instead of ancient?

The meanings of antiquated and ancient largely overlap; however, antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

When is it sensible to use antique instead of ancient?

Although the words antique and ancient have much in common, antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.

collected antique Chippendale furniture

When could archaic be used to replace ancient?

The words archaic and ancient are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

When is obsolete a more appropriate choice than ancient?

While the synonyms obsolete and ancient are close in meaning, 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

When would old be a good substitute for ancient?

The words old and ancient can be used in similar contexts, but old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses

an old sweater of mine

When might venerable be a better fit than ancient?

The synonyms venerable and ancient are sometimes interchangeable, but venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

the family's venerable patriarch

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 ancient

Adjective

But in Mexico, where cocoa has been grown and consumed for 4,000 years, ancient traditions endure. — Alfredo Sosa, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2026 The House of Heat temazcal draws from an ancient Mexican tradition, while sound experiences, yoga, movement and time in nature offer different ways to slow down and reconnect. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Noun

Whereas modern extermination tends to involve poisons or traps that a professional later clears, ancients had to take on pests one by one. — Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025 No full moons, no silver bullets, no ancients curses and the like, just a title card at the beginning of the film stating that wolf man sightings have been a phenomenon since indigenious peoples ruled the Americas. — Scott Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ancient

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancient

Adjective

The venerable company Sea Doo had just announced a new version of its popular Spark model, this one with an X after it.

— Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Its name was inspired by the New York hotel, deemed venerable enough to give the new outfit some heft, and its first swing at a leveraged buyout was for Chi-Chi’s, the Mexican restaurant chain, in 1987.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of venerable

Adjective

Nuclear Children follows 18-year-old Isla Sparrow who, after the death of her father in a submarine accident, hopes to escape her grieving family and flee to university.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
But in older adults, the relationship between body weight and health may be more complicated than a number on the scale.

— Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of old

Adjective

The Düsseldorf group’s version of LUCA would have possessed many of the ingredients needed by living systems, including a primitive form of genetic encoding, as well as metabolic chemical reactions required to harness energy.

— Philip Ball, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of primitive

Noun

The driver was arrested on suspicion of financial elder abuse, attempted grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and fraud.

— Jason Green, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
The Trust, supported by a 1 percent food-and-beverage restaurant tax, used it as a quarantine site for homeless elders imperiled by COVID.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of elder

Adjective

Related Articles An antique dealer friends with Dertz later identified it as a missing Picasso that had been stolen from DeLind’s gallery in 2018; a DeLind Fine Art Appraisals sticker was still attached to the back of the frame.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Inside, antique art hangs on walls, tamgroute (local pottery) lines small alcoves, board games are stacked inside cupboards, and coffee table books have plenty to dive into.

— Katie Silcox, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of antique

Adjective

My kids could never get enough of Dinosaur Land, a walk-through theme park with more than 50 life-sized replicas of these beloved prehistoric creatures made out of fiberglass.

— Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
This caused the prehistoric Tethys Ocean, which once separated the supercontinents of Laurasia and Gondwana, to shrink.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of prehistoric

Noun

Older adults need muscle strength to perform everyday activities, maintain mobility and reduce their risk of falls.

— Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
This January, Maryland should stop relying on the resilience of children to survive a preventable epidemic and finally demand accountability from the adults entrusted with keeping them safe.

— Brittany Berlin, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of adult

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“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancient. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of ancient

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noun

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