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
  • The spreadsheet era has lasted far too long, along with QA practices that were rendered obsolete three to four years ago.
    — Stefan Gogoll, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • For Picasso, the new was power; its will to render obsolete what came before was as irresistible as a force of nature.
    — Michael Brenson, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • Riner’s announcement follows in the wake of weeks of civil unrest across France sparked by students protests over staff shortages and dilapidated schools in September.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2026
  • All of that came to a head aboard the dilapidated Honour 25, where a monthslong standoff came to a violent end last month.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 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
  • In addition, the belief that hip-hop artists are required to acquiesce and musically circumscribe themselves to appease mainstream audiences is archaic in many respects.
    — Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2026
  • In addition, the belief that hip-hop artists are required to acquiesce and musically circumcise themselves to appease mainstream audiences is archaic in many respects.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 27 Oct. 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
  • People are sick and tired of attack ads, robocalls and misinformation.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Doncic had 32 points and 10 assists in a 124-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks as the Lakers relied on their depth to secure their sixth consecutive win and stay atop the Western Conference despite a short, tired bench.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Move beyond antiquated notions of making your first three seconds a logo and a tagline.
    — Phoena Pang, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Causes include an antiquated business model, declining advertising revenue and hedge-fund buyouts that have gutted papers.
    — Pamela E. Walck, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of antiquated
Adjective
  • The hackneyed ruminations on feminine style are punctured by an image of violent female rage.
    — Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • There’s some hackneyed dialogue, much of it borne by Neeson, who despite his prominence in advertising gets sidelined for most of the running time.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Sep. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

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 15 Nov. 2026.

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