Synonyms of classical

classical

adjective

ˈkla-si-kəl 

1

as in traditional

based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation

the classical preparation of a ham for Easter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traditional
• customary
• conventional
• usual
• historical
• old
• prescriptive
• authentic
• historic
• common
• ancient
• orthodox
• ancestral
• established
• fixed
• old-time
• habitual
• old-world
• timeless
• hoary
• venerable
• aged
• age-old
• immemorial
• antediluvian
• ageless
• dateless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• modern
• contemporary
• nontraditional
• unconventional
• new
• current
• untraditional
• present-day
• modernized
• updated
• up-to-date
• new age
• latest
• modernistic
• original
• futuristic
• uncustomary
• high-tech
• progressive
• state-of-the-art
• ultramodern
• hot
• unusual
• newfangled
• revolutionary
• red-hot
• unorthodox
• mod
• unprecedented
• nonconformist
• supermodern
• new-fashioned
• space-age
• nonorthodox

2

as in authoritative

being the most accurate and apparently thorough

a writer celebrated for his classical profiles of eminent Victorians

Synonyms & Similar Words

• authoritative
• classic
• definitive
• comprehensive
• magisterial
• accurate
• official
• conclusive
• decisive
• correct
• approved
• complete
• sanctioned
• exhaustive
• thorough

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of classical

This project, classical in form, presents a sweeping vision of how the past has led to the present, an epic for this troubled age, a dispatch from a roiling Europe that nonetheless reflects back the difficult beauty of human existence. — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026

Scenes from Renaissance paintings and starry night skies alike fill the room while classical music sets the mood. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Following the stop at Verona Porta Nuova station is the City of Vicenza, which is famous for its classical Roman architecture and the work of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026

Composers of both classical and popular music study what came before them, absorbing and reworking earlier melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and techniques. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026