moth-eaten

adjective

ˈmȯth-ˌē-tᵊn How to pronounce moth-eaten (audio)
Definition of moth-eatennext
1
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness moth-eaten scientific theories that no one's believed in ages

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect a man who's been wearing the same moth-eaten clothes for decades

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull an uncle who tells the same moth-eaten stories every Thanksgiving

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for moth-eaten
  1. obsolete
  2. dilapidated
  3. stereotyped
  4. archaic
  5. neglected
  6. tired
  7. antiquated
  8. hackneyed
Adjective
  • As vehicles age, OE on-board hardware becomes obsolete as cellular providers replace older technology and automakers stop investing in aging back-end stacks and features.
    — Michael Harley, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
  • Congress empowered this group of experts because its leadership recognized obsolete military bases needed to be closed or consolidated but individual lawmakers would inevitably block any changes to protect their home state facilities.
    — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • Its current chapter as a travel venue is helmed by the Greene family, who bought the property in 2000 and began to restore it from a dilapidated state.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
  • Back at the dilapidated family home, Edgar grows even surlier, lashing into gentle-natured Joe for being an under-achiever compared to his brother and causing Thya to become apprehensive about Ed’s proximity to sharp objects.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of dilapidated
Adjective
  • Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of stereotyped
Adjective
  • And yet, despite these numbers, hurdles as seemingly archaic as international mailing addresses have long hampered small-business owners in digital banking.
    — Eyal Lifshitz, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The Spanish is archaic, the intonations are complicated, and the words tumble over themselves like a hard charge toward the goal posts.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of archaic
Adjective
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Changing their environment is more reliable and more neglected.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of neglected
Adjective
  • The brand is winning over tired consumers who already reach for something sweet before bed by combining the comfort of a late-night treat with ingredients designed to support a better sleep routine.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 17, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026
  • Some get the number of dollars tied to their age (this used to be the case for Ollie and his brother, Owen, until their mom, Rebecca, got tired of them fighting over their disparate payouts) and others much more.
    — Erika Janes, Curbed, 17 July 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • But Merrywood’s charms, both elegant and antiquated, might face the wrecking ball later this year.
    — Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026
  • During his Superman press tour last year, Nicholas Hoult paraded around New York City wearing oversized totes, including the Prada Buckle antiquated leather bag.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 10 July 2026
Definition of antiquated
Adjective
  • Maybe so, but think of how badly Congress had stated those hackneyed ideas.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • While not exactly a feminist screed, the script grants nary a free pass to the glut of hackneyed gender conventions in the golden-age canon without at least cracking a joke.
    — Naveen Kumar, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of hackneyed
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.

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mothballs
moth-eaten
mother
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Cite this Entry

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

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