hoary

adjective

ˈhȯr-ē How to pronounce hoary (audio)
Definition of hoarynext
as in ancient
dating or surviving from the distant past hoary oak trees with dripping moss and gnarled limbs shaded us from the sun

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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 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 See All Example Sentences for hoary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoary
  1. ancient
  2. venerable
  3. old
  4. antique
  5. medieval
Adjective
  • Archeologists identify it as ancient Samaria, capital of the biblical Kingdom of Israel.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • Outside of learning about ancient concentration camps and historic serial killers while Phaedra beams, the moment without Porsha serves as a Hail Mary pass for Shamea to try to salvage some of the damage from the night before.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • The venerable soul food restaurant is a tourist destination in its own right, with six dining rooms and capacity for 300 guests.
    — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 11 July 2026
  • This second installment represents the venerable anthology franchise’s height of humor, invention, and variety.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Definition of venerable
Adjective
  • Unlike my original e-bike, the Huffy includes metal fenders, a metal chain guard, and a battery that can charge in or out of the bike - all for a third of the price of my old bike.
    — William Roberson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Tyler James Feehan shared memories of the 25-year-old who was killed on July 17 as a result of Iranian strikes on Jordan.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • Coupled with the pair’s extensive collection of antique furniture, the result is a shockingly precocious home, one that is mature beyond its years.
    — Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 20 July 2026
  • In recent years, Sestri Levante has gained recognition for its efforts to preserve the leudo, an antique Ligurian vessel, dating from the Middle Ages, that was once used to transport food and wine.
    — Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of antique
Adjective
  • Andrew Garfield trades modern superheroes for medieval revolution in the trailer for The Uprising, Paul Greengrass’ historical drama inspired by England’s 1381 peasant revolt.
    — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
  • Mal has had to preserve many of the original features of the prison, which was rebuilt in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries on its medieval foundations.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
Definition of medieval

Browse Nearby Words

hoarse
hoary
hoax
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Cite this Entry

“Hoary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoary. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of hoary for Spanish Speakers

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