classic 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkla-sik How to pronounce classic (audio)
Definition of classicnext
1
as in exemplary
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated classic designs in furniture that never go out of style

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2
as in excellent
of the very best kind one of the really classic comedies in the history of movies

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3
as in distinctive
serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group the anthropologist noted the classic facial features of the inhabitants of those islands

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4
as in authoritative
being the most accurate and apparently thorough the classic study of the alienation of the individual in modern urban society

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classic

2 of 2

noun

1
as in model
someone of such unequaled perfection as to deserve imitation among women who have devoted themselves to a life of scientific inquiry, Marie Curie is one of the acknowledged classics

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2
as in masterpiece
something (as a work of art) that is a great achievement and often its creator's greatest achievement the works of Michelangelo are regarded as classics of the sculptor's art

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ideal
the most perfect type or example his journey of discovery was a classic of arduous effort and fierce determination

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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 classic
Adjective
Vantages of the 1970s, with bold looks that managed to be both classic and modern, all the way down to the circular headlamps. — Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2026 The Halloween season always comes with certain classic songs that turn any jukebox into a haunted house. — Chaz Kangas, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Noun
Every day leading up to Christmas Eve, Silvy gathers in the kitchen with her Nonna, mom, and aunt to prepare the pasta, struffoli, and other Italian classics near and dear to Silvy’s heart. — Rachel Labonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026 So audiences may be surprised about his latest turn, playing a cheerful educator in the Old West with an affinity for the literary classics. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for classic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for classic
  1. exemplary
  2. excellent
  3. distinctive
  4. authoritative
  5. model
  6. masterpiece
  7. ideal
  8. quintessential
Adjective
  • But his exemplary work both in the pass and run game Sunday made the notion of a future with Willis easier to envision.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Setting the standard for luxury with exemplary service and culinary offerings, all at the heart of Santa Fe’s rich cultural center.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of exemplary
Adjective
  • His 28-yard touchdown reception from Sam Darnold late in the second quarter beat Delane, who had excellent position.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The biggest key for the Brewers in this game is to see if their bullpen can keep their excellent pitching alive.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • Altadena had a distinctive and cherished identity before the fire.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The tiny Norwegian archipelago, 68 degrees north of the Arctic Circle and two flights from Oslo, is a distinctive and dramatic landscape with spiky mountains rising from the Norwegian Sea and sandy beaches fringed by fjords.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of distinctive
Adjective
  • Without an authoritative accounting, Eisenkot argues, the country cannot fully reckon with the catastrophe.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Our colleague Helen Branswell was a renowned infectious disease reporter who earned the respect and admiration of experts and public health officials with her authoritative, prescient reporting on the flu, polio, Ebola and the Covid-19 pandemic.
    — Elaine Chen, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of authoritative
Noun
  • Next, the researchers developed a simplified model that reproduced the observed rotation and current increase.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The vicious cycle of the current model, of course, is that to become marketable a team needs to get and retain good players, and to do that a school has to spend money, which cycles the whole thing back to the start.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of model
Noun
  • Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher likens the collection’s élan with that achieved by the masterpieces of Michelangelo and the Renaissance, but reimagined for the 21st century.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
  • An exclusive excerpt from Jonathan Van Meter’s ‘Citizen Kim’ reveals how a French Impressionist masterpiece ended up on her bathroom wall.
    — Jonathan Van Meter, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of masterpiece
Noun
  • Eisenkot sees the election as a test of whether Israel can preserve the democratic and national ideals of the Zionist movement or drift further from them.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Le Bar The bar at the Four Seasons Hotel George V is essentially the platonic ideal of a hotel bar.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of ideal
Adjective
  • Meyers’s movies are known for their cozy, quintessential California interiors, with bright, airy kitchens and gently sumptuous living rooms of white and cream.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Often referred to as the nation's quintessential bellwether state, Minas Gerais has historically been viewed as an important indicator of national election results.
    — David Unsworth , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of quintessential

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Cite this Entry

“Classic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/classic. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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