Synonyms of medieval

medieval

adjective

ˌmē-ˈdē-vəl 

variants also mediaeval

as in archaic

having passed its time of use or usefulness

get rid of that medieval kerosene stove—it stinks and it's dangerous

Synonyms & Similar Words

• archaic
• obsolete
• antiquated
• prehistoric
• rusty
• neolithic
• ancient
• old
• dated
• outmoded
• antique
• fossilized
• Stone Age
• outdated
• mossy
• extinct
• outworn
• historical
• defunct
• out-of-date
• moribund
• useless
• expired
• discarded
• superannuated
• historic
• vintage
• aging
• Noachian
• demoded
• late
• passé
• retro
• démodé
• dead
• moth-eaten
• disused
• obsolescent
• past
• unusable
• antediluvian
• unworkable
• vanished
• venerable
• old-time
• former
• kaput
• dormant
• old-fashioned
• latent
• fusty
• idle
• free
• aged
• old-world
• bygone
• inactive
• fallow
• inert
• hoary
• musty
• erstwhile
• inoperable
• atavistic
• inoperative
• age-old
• dateless
• oldfangled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• modern
• contemporary
• new
• current
• recent
• present-day
• up-to-date
• mod
• fresh
• ultramodern
• newfangled
• modernized
• new-fashioned
• operational
• up-to-the-minute
• functional
• workable
• operating
• active
• functioning
• operative
• busy
• operable
• renewed
• refurbished
• employed
• remodeled
• alive

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of medieval

Much of it is also wrapped up in the invention of mechanical clocks, in particular the mechanical clocks of medieval Europe. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026

But for the medieval and classics scholar in Kratz, the film invited questions and infuriated him at times. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 18 Aug. 2026

Narwhals are toothed whales, renowned for their distinctive straight, spiraling tusks, which many people in medieval times believed were the horns of unicorns and thus held magical healing properties. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

This is why Leja thinks comparisons between medieval and modern societies aren’t accurate. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026