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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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. medieval
  5. antique
Adjective
  • The team from Germany, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland said analysis of hair in the royal tomb where cannabis seeds turned up, sheds new light on the plant's role in ancient societies.
    — Mary Evans, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Standard calculations predict more primordial lithium-7 than astronomers observe in ancient stars.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • That night, after the family gets back home, Irwin’s older brother, Gary (Adam Driver), arrives with princely pomp, bringing a takeout feast from the venerable steak house Peter Luger.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In 2014, also boosted its reputation further by earning FIAPF A-list accreditation, putting it into the company of such venerable fests as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto, Karlovy Vary and Locarno.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of venerable
Adjective
  • There have been lows—trying to manufacture a viral dance in an empty pub alongside a dwarf Michael Jackson impersonator among them—but Skepta is old enough to own those now, and grow from them.
    — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2026
  • California has a rich and varied history — and San Jose is the oldest civilian community in the state.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • Designed for ages 3 to 12, the shiny indoor space is cleverly set up into various imaginative zones, from a plush mediaeval princess castle to a play gym with climbing wall.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Its six books promised to take me from a medieval royal court to a post-alien-invasion-near-future, via 1980s Jamaica, 1990s Scotland, 2020s Massachusetts and present-day London.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of medieval
Adjective
  • The slouchy genuine-suede leather bag features stud detailing, antique silver hardware and a metal handle.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The bag features stud detailing, antique silver hardware and a metal handle.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of antique

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 10 Nov. 2026.

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