Synonyms of hoary

hoary

adjective

ˈhȯr-ē 

as in ancient

dating or surviving from the distant past

hoary oak trees with dripping moss and gnarled limbs shaded us from the sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ancient
• venerable
• old
• medieval
• antique
• age-old
• antediluvian
• immemorial
• archaic
• hoar
• antiquated
• aged
• prehistoric
• traditional
• outmoded
• fusty
• aging
• dateless
• obsolete
• geriatric
• out-of-date
• old-time
• old-world
• dated
• enduring
• retro
• vintage
• durable
• ageless
• old-fashioned
• archaistic
• classical
• moldy
• timeless
• permanent
• tried-and-true
• timeworn
• Noachian
• primeval
• passé
• lasting
• primordial
• long-lived
• time-honored
• classic
• mature
• time-tested
• hallowed
• tried

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• modern
• new
• recent
• young
• youthful
• fresh
• current
• contemporary
• latest
• present-day
• vernal
• novel
• untried
• ultramodern
• unused
• untested
• mod
• brand-new
• unworn

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hoary

Connecticut’s three tree-roosting bat species include the eastern red, silver-haired, and hoary bats. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2026

That hoary image remains compelling. — Sam Lipsyte, Curbed, 15 Dec. 2025

The most common species of bats found in Grand Teton National Park are little brown bats, followed by big brown, silver-haired, hoary, Yuma, long-legged, and long-eared bats, the agency said. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025

Ultimately, everyone’s happiness is denied, which makes for a cautionary critique of the hoary cliché of 1950s repression (the same falsification that was the basis of Todd Haynes’s drab lesbian drama Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara). — Armond White, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!