hoar 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhȯr How to pronounce hoar (audio)
Definition of hoarnext
as in ancient
dating or surviving from the distant past the hoar and crumbling stones of ruined temples

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hoar

2 of 2

noun

as in frost
a covering of tiny ice crystals on a cold surface the hoar-covered meadow gleamed in the early-morning sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 hoar
Adjective
Terms like graupel, rime ice, and hoar frost describe specific ways ice and frost form on surfaces and in the air. — Brandi D. Addison, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025 Surface hoar is created when water vapor is deposited on the snow surface, like dew. — Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024 During cold weather the moisture precipitates out of the air onto every branch and willow bush, coating them in a layer of hoar frost. — Seth Adams, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 May 2023
Noun
The hoar frost made the trees sparkle as though Earthquake Park were contained in a snow globe. — Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Jan. 2022 Furthermore, the clear conditions preceding the storm could have led to the formation of a layer of light, feathery frost, known as surface hoar. — Douglas Preston, The New Yorker, 10 May 2021 But sometimes the crystals grow particularly large, forming hoar frost. — Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2014
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoar
  1. ancient
  2. frost
  3. venerable
  4. old
  5. hoary
  6. medieval
  7. antique
Adjective
  • Adding fuel to the debate is the discovery of ancient artifacts — texts, frescoes, tombstone inscriptions — that seem, to some, to depict women as priests in the early Catholic Church.
    — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The two genetic variants are also ancient, suggesting that the difference has persisted over evolutionary timescales.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of ancient
Noun
  • Yes, there is a spa area with a sauna, steam room, frost cabin, and a hot relaxation pool.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The weather service said there is a chance of patchy frost Friday night and Saturday morning.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of frost
Adjective
  • There’s Haroon Mirza’s Stone Circle, commissioned by Ballroom Marfa, another venerable local institution.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The venerable broadcast network regained the league’s rights as part of an 11-year media deal, reviving the iconic theme song that accompanied NBA broadcasts from 1990 to 2002.
    — Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of venerable
Adjective
  • The pickup’s driver, a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, Kansas, was taken into custody but was later released after police consulted with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
    — Maggie Vespa, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Melanie Lawrence, a 68-year-old independent, worries about wells going dry in her area near Willcox, where the groundwater grew so depleted that the land started to crack.
    — Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • Bats like hoary bats, eastern red bats and silver-haired bats are especially vulnerable to wind energy expansion too.
    — Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • At one point, Lowe and Rogan joked about the hoary aphorism that says anyone who isn’t a liberal at 25 has no heart, but anyone who isn’t a conservative by 35 has no head.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
Definition of hoary
Adjective
  • It was filmed on two medieval backlots at Korda Studios and the National Film Institute, to the west and north of the city respectively, according to Barbara Reardon, a local co-producer.
    — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • By the medieval period, Christianity was the dominant religion of Europe, but long-distance travel was extremely difficult, and embarking upon a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was often regarded as a death sentence.
    — Shay Rabineau, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of medieval
Adjective
  • Everything is served on antique porcelain, mis-matched in design, yet unified in style.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This dresser accommodates all your clothing, linens, and more, while the antique brass knobs add a pretty design detail.
    — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of antique

Browse Nearby Words

hoagies
hoar
hoard
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Cite this Entry

“Hoar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoar. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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