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
1
as in maturity
the state of being an old person
if nothing else, the patriarch had achieved a degree of ancientness worthy of veneration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in antiquity
the state of being something old
the ancientness of the papyrus was authenticated by carbon dating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ancient
Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
In ancient times, the taltos, who originated in the very north of today's Scotland, tended to be rather clumsy and childlike.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025
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
The atlas shows routes spanning from Spain to Syria, connecting more than 5,000 ancient settlements.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
In ancient times, the taltos, who originated in the very north of today's Scotland, tended to be rather clumsy and childlike.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Nov. 2025
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
-
Barbour and Sorel Team on Outdoor Capsule The footwear brand and the venerable British outerwear company have teamed on a collection of apparel and shoes for fall.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Variety CEO and Group Publisher, who has been the driving force in the business transformation of Variety over the past dozen years, will step down next month after 28 years with the venerable entertainment news brand.—
William Earl,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
If successful, this productive force— supposed to be restorative, in at least some visions—would grow up in symbiosis with primitive fossil capital.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
These samples provide insights into primitive carbonaceous material, the water, and the organic content of early solar system bodies.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Bordered by antique wood pillar columns, the custom wood and glass front doors lead into a rotunda foyer displaying dark polished hardwood floors that run throughout the interiors.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Glassware without a microwave-safe label should not be used, including non-tempered glass, antique or fragile glassware, or glass with metallic trims or decorations.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The Chinese retailer, known for its range of cheap ultra-fast-fashion clothing and criticisms of its labor and environmental practices, is nestled on the sixth floor of a more than century-old building in Paris, a city famous for high-end fashion and a recent green push.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
-
In contexts not concerning the elite private colleges of New England and their decades-old conflicts and syllabi and on-campus squabbles, this mode of prestige media procedure matters absolutely and enormously, at scales difficult to tabulate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Large muskies, prehistoric-looking fish with canine-style teeth, lurk there.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In Scotland, archaeologists found evidence of a prehistoric village at a future golf course earlier this year.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The catastrophe, which took place about noon local time, sent one person working on a medieval tower to a hospital while another remained trapped under rubble and debris at the Torre dei Conti.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
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The Torre dei Conti was built by Pope Innocent III for his family and serves as a classic example of a medieval tower-house in Rome.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Following Reynolds' death, Tarantino cast Bruce Dern to portray Spahn, who is depicted as an elderly, blind man in the film.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
-
There is no dignity, and no justice, in a system that buries an elderly woman alive in silence.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
There are guns, horses, ghosts, a primal struggle for survival in hostile terrain, family feuds and a steadily intensifying sense of mortal threat, as Old Porch’s ambition and psychopathy escalate the drama.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Museums frustrate the primal desire to touch the art — all thatsensuous marble and rippling brushstrokes, off-limits!—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancient. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
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