as in ancient
dating or surviving from the distant past
the hoar and crumbling stones of ruined temples
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Recent Examples of hoar
Brandi D. Addison, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025
The hidden layer of fragile surface hoar, with facets playing a contributing role, is now the failure point for large and unpredictable slabs of snow.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024
There are many different kinds of frost: crystalline (hoar) frost, white frost, black frost, advection frost, and the frost that forms on glass windows, to name a few.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2023
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
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
YESTERDAY’S WORD — ANCHORS acorn arch arson nacho nosh cash chaos char corn crash hoar hora horn orach orca racon ranch rash roach roan scan scar scorn shorn soar sonar sora
To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com.
—Kathleen Saxe, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2017
But sometimes the crystals grow particularly large, forming hoar frost.
—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2014
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
The hidden layer of fragile surface hoar, with facets playing a contributing role, is now the failure point for large and unpredictable slabs of snow.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024
There are many different kinds of frost: crystalline (hoar) frost, white frost, black frost, advection frost, and the frost that forms on glass windows, to name a few.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2023
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
YESTERDAY’S WORD — ANCHORS acorn arch arson nacho nosh cash chaos char corn crash hoar hora horn orach orca racon ranch rash roach roan scan scar scorn shorn soar sonar sora
To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com.
—Kathleen Saxe, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2017
But sometimes the crystals grow particularly large, forming hoar frost.
—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2014
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoar
Adjective
-
Its sheer red sandstone cliffs, carved over millions of years, cradle ancient cliff dwellings and rock art that tell stories of the ancestral Puebloans.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
In his younger years, Jacobs would have hunted in ancient forests, now known only to our imaginations—old-growth stands of hemlock, pine, oak, and chestnut, with trees standing more than a hundred feet tall and nearly four hundred years old.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
This correlates with warmer soils to enhance germination and the absence of frost, which can kill seedlings.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
-
In some cases, the frost is severe enough to end the growing season and is then referred to as a 'killing frost'.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The venerable venue’s spokesman represents a must-see in a part of the city laden with them.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
-
But this year, at the April opening of RH’s new Milanese flagship, the company struck a blow for the classic and the timeless with the launch of RH Estates, a new division that celebrates the genius of some of the world’s most venerable designers, past and present.—
Mayer Rus,
Architectural Digest,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
While a few of the old hunters were wistful about the memory of the large mammals, others saw extirpation as necessary progress.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
The 24-year-old’s burning desire, elite athleticism, and an electrifying season at Triple-A Albuquerque busted down the big-league door.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fourth walls are shattered, hoary tropes are dismantled, the body count climbs and a joke gets thrown in about the endless supply of Wayanses ready to keep the franchise going.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
Connecticut’s three tree-roosting bat species include the eastern red, silver-haired, and hoary bats.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Time periods are not clear, but the tales seem to range from medieval times to contemporary settings.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
-
Its 23 spacious rooms and suites, all with terraces or private gardens, have spectacular sea views and are nestled into a ridge overlooking a secluded cove near the medieval hilltop village of Ramatuelle.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
It’s made from iron, has an antique-looking bronze finish, and is designed with a cut-out floral pattern for a touch of flair.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
-
In Turpentine, after her son hires friends to steal the family’s antique gun collection to pay off a debt, a mother steps in to clean up the mess, triggering a chain of events that stretch the family bond to its limit.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hoar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoar. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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