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

The visual essay below features virtuoso examples of the techniques that designers have used to replicate the ideals of classical dress over the years, including draping, pleating, twisting, and wrapping. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 16 July 2026

When The Atlantic was founded, in 1857, the classical languages dominated education. — Elias Wachtel, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026

Nolan’s take on this scene alludes to one of Francisco de Goya’s Black Paintings, Saturn Devouring His Son—which, probably not coincidentally, is another modern adaptation of a classical work. — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026

But the version of the classical hero that the film conjures up nevertheless embodies the great preoccupation of Nolan’s filmography. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 July 2026