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antique

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noun

as in artifact
something belonging to or surviving from an earlier period their house is filled with rare antiques, including a collection of 19th-century African masks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective antique differ from other similar words?

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

collected antique Chippendale furniture

In what contexts can ancient take the place of antique?

The words ancient and antique are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

When is antiquated a more appropriate choice than antique?

The words antiquated and antique can be used in similar contexts, but antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

When might archaic be a better fit than antique?

In some situations, the words archaic and antique are roughly equivalent. However, archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

When would obsolete be a good substitute for antique?

The meanings of obsolete and antique largely overlap; however, 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 can old be used instead of antique?

While the synonyms old and antique are close in meaning, old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses
an old sweater of mine

When is it sensible to use venerable instead of antique?

The synonyms venerable and antique 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 antique
Adjective
In Tulane University's map archives, historian Blake Gilpin pointed to original antique maps that clearly mark the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico. Mark Strassmann, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025 In 2022, Homewood set the record for most expensive day lift ticket in the U.S.: $279 for a single-day ticket to a homestyle ski hill with antique chairlifts, a mid-mountain pit toilet, and on-hill dining that requires you to microwave the chili yourself. Megan Michelson, Outside Online, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
However, these small gains are undermined by plummeting profitability across most of the art and antiques market, as prices for virtually all aspects of the business, from shipping to rent, have increased. Kabir Jhala, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025 In the days following his discovery, Curtis was contacted by representatives from Sotheby's and Bonhams, both prestigious art and antiques businesses. Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for antique
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antique
Adjective
  • The museum has a world-class collection, including works by iconic artists like da Vinci, Monet, and Van Gogh, alongside ancient artifacts.
    Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025
  • With the help of technology such as ultraviolet and infrared filters and multispectral photography, a team of international researchers have now deciphered several dozen ancient inscriptions etched on the room’s walls between the 14th and 16th centuries.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Located in the heart of downtown St. Augustine, the inn features elegant guest rooms and suites that have been completely restored inside nine vintage structures—the oldest dating back to 1790.
    Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
  • This stunning set of six glasses (like all of Estelle's products) is handblown by artisans in Poland and adds a vintage vibe to any table setting.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The cabinet of curiosities in the background contains strange artifacts, including the Bloodstone prop from Werewolf by Night, the Marvel TV special Giacchino directed for Disney+.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • This portfolio is, like a memory of a night in a Broadway house, an artifact of a moment.
    Mark Seliger, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Pitt was created by R. Scott Gemmill, a former writer and producer on ER, the venerable Emmy-winning series that ran 15 seasons on NBC.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Dewhurst was, at that point, a venerable stage star with six Tony nominations and two wins, and Reiley was a young journeyman actor who was often hired for the chorus or as an understudy.
    Mark Harris, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Built in 1958, the charmingly retro 3,899 square foot, four bedroom, four bathroom property is going for $4.95 million.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Typically following retro design cues, many of Hazan's masterpieces are more at home in an art gallery than on the street alongside commuters – with some bikes going for as much as US$125,000.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Perched on the edge of a cliff in Cundinamarca, Colombia, the Hotel Del Salto is a relic of the opulence and horrors of colonialism.
    Josh Rivera, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The current tariff gap is a relic of that old trade regime.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Also, the pass includes several mountain excursions and free admission to more than 500 museums throughout Switzerland. Not to be missed is the medieval town of Gruyères about 80 miles from Geneva.
    Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The stakes of the story become ever more human-on-human, with zombies largely relegated to one epic battle that sits at the cinematic junction of western, medieval and samurai.
    Mike Hale, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The new measurements may lead researchers toward a historic discovery.
    Daniel Apai, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Besides properties of historic interest, the Charlotte History Museum is presenting a few other awards, as well.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 18 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Antique.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antique. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

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