as in archaic
having passed its time of use or usefulness
fossilized notions about the proper place of women in society
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fossilized
These beaches are some of the best in Florida for finding shells and fossilized shark teeth, especially near the fort and jetties.
—
Taryn Shorr-McKee,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
How fitting, then, that a primitive predator from five hundred and sixty million years ago, a fossilized example of which was discovered near where the young David grew up, should have been named Auroralumina attenboroughii in his honor.
—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
The Giant Octopus Fossil That Unlocked Everything The discovery is based on giant octopus fossil evidence — specifically, fossilized beaks (jaws), which are the only hard parts of an octopus’s body and the only parts likely to survive over millions of years.
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Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
The team studied fossilized jaws and the wear patterns on them to reconstruct the sizes and feeding behaviors of the ancient octopuses.
—
Kate Wong,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fossilized
Taryn Shorr-McKee,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
How fitting, then, that a primitive predator from five hundred and sixty million years ago, a fossilized example of which was discovered near where the young David grew up, should have been named Auroralumina attenboroughii in his honor.
—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
The Giant Octopus Fossil That Unlocked Everything The discovery is based on giant octopus fossil evidence — specifically, fossilized beaks (jaws), which are the only hard parts of an octopus’s body and the only parts likely to survive over millions of years.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
The team studied fossilized jaws and the wear patterns on them to reconstruct the sizes and feeding behaviors of the ancient octopuses.
—
Kate Wong,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fossilized
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fossilized
Adjective
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The sixth block in the Parthenon’s tympanum—or recessed space—was restored by combining a pair of archaic fragments with new pieces of marble, while the seventh block has been completed using only fresh marble.
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His department of justice brought back the firing squad on federal row in April of 2026; several states now also use what was once considered an archaic method.
Adjective
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Recent highs have easily blown past 47 degrees Celsius, rendering existing guidelines obsolete even as emissions from human activity continue to drive global temperatures higher.
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Newsom said the state tracker is the first of its kind in the nation as California companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have exploded in growth and simultaneously warned that their products could render most white-collar jobs obsolete.
Adjective
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The modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system replaced the aircraft’s antiquated radar.
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Farms open up between the forestry, and the antiquated Martindale Chief Diner hangs on a curb.
Adjective
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Devil’s Den Spring Located in Levy County, Devil's Den Spring is a prehistoric natural spring inside a cave that offers diving and snorkeling in crystal clear, 72-degree waters all year long.
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Turn left out of the hotel for the Museu de Menorca, revealing a comprehensive history from modern mass tourism back to prehistoric times, and the Talayotic culture, from 1600 BCE to 123 BCE.
Adjective
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In one corner of the café, there’s a parking spot exclusively for broomsticks; upstairs in the games room, a smoke-breathing dragon perches over a medieval-style fireplace.
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Among the finds are a 4th-century coin bearing the face of Emperor Constantine, as well as medieval pottery fragments bearing markings archaeologists have not yet deciphered.
Cite this Entry
“Fossilized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fossilized. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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