1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in elder
a person of advanced years
ancients in the tribe are accorded great respect and valued for their wisdom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ancient
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
The area is named after ancient Roman sites, as well as those associated with Alexander the Great, who built a causeway to conquer the island city.
—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
23 June 2026
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
Adjective
Once this was confirmed, the team started checking fossil collections in other museums across America, looking for youngsters of other ancient lineages to see whether the missing tadpole phase was a broader evolutionary trend.
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Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
The area is named after ancient Roman sites, as well as those associated with Alexander the Great, who built a causeway to conquer the island city.
—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
23 June 2026
Noun
Read More: These 5 Ancient Civilizations Treasured Their Pets
Coping with Critters
The discovery of archeological remains has helped scientists better understand how ancients coped with bothersome critters.
—
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
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That exceeds the payload capacity of both the B-2 and B-21 and even surpasses the venerable B-52 in several mission configurations.
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The British luxury marque has just unveiled a new variant of its venerable grand tourer called the Bespoke Series by Mulliner.
Adjective
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On Tuesday night, the New York Post reported that the woman had been identified as Angie Baez, a 40-year-old financial industry executive.
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As for 29-year-old Greenway notched six points in 40 games with the Sabres last season and scored three points in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Buffalo during the 2025-26 campaign.
Adjective
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These few extra channels—combined with some sounds ripped from an expansion for the MSX, another 8-bit console—were enough to transcend the Game Boy’s original limitations while still evoking the handheld system’s primitive beauty.
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Likewise, primitive asteroidal bodies are somewhat like fossilized remnants of the building blocks of the solar system's planets, including Earth.
Noun
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Morris, his wife, Debbie, the church, along with a group of current and former church elders and a former employee, still face a $1 million defamation suit filed by Cindy Clemishire and her father.
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Meanwhile, the Gen Zers now aging into homebuying represent a smaller cohort than their elders.
Adjective
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More than 2,000 bird baths from Best Choice Products have been purchased in the past month, with many reviewers loving the antique look and its overall durability.
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Take a quick detour off the Pacific Coast Highway to explore quaint streets full of Danish architecture, antique shops, and restaurants.
Adjective
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Authorities are notably worried about people living in the baking streets, and elderly people in nursing homes or isolated in their homes.
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Authorities are notably worried about people living in the streets and elderly people in nursing homes or isolated in their homes.
Adjective
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Devil’s Den Spring Located in Levy County, Devil's Den Spring is a prehistoric natural spring inside a cave that offers diving and snorkeling in crystal clear, 72-degree waters all year long.
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Turn left out of the hotel for the Museu de Menorca, revealing a comprehensive history from modern mass tourism back to prehistoric times, and the Talayotic culture, from 1600 BCE to 123 BCE.
Noun
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Tickets start at $45, and kids 15 and under get in free with an adult.
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Law enforcement also linked Sanchez-Munoz to a June 11 shooting in which a vehicle occupied by an adult and a child was hit by gunfire in the area of Seventh Street and Metropolitan Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas.
Cite this Entry
“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancient. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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