1
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness
moth-eaten scientific theories that no one's believed in ages
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of moth-eaten
When clothing is moth-eaten, see Ronald Moore at French-American Reweaving Co. (119 W. 57th St.; 212-765-4670).
—
The Editors, Curbed, 9 May 2025
The Editors, Curbed, 9 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moth-eaten
Adjective
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If a data center is shut down and the building is set to become something else, the data center’s owner will be required to remove all obsolete equipment like chillers and generators from the site.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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Learn about Outside Online's affiliate link policy Is exercise obsolete in the age of Ozempic?—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Ross saved the Miami Open, moving it from a dilapidated Key Biscayne venue, and retrofitting Hard Rock Stadium’s grounds for it.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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But these Brown and Black immigrants were usually segregated into dilapidated apartments in the region’s oldest housing stock.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
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Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.—
Tom McDonough,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Trump’s 60-day suspension gives Congress the cover to repeal the archaic shipping law.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
18 Mar. 2026
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With news breaking that Meghan was pregnant with their son Archie, she and Harry were widely viewed as the fresh new faces of an archaic institution.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When first performed at L.A. Opera a decade ago, the lavish production, co-produced with English National Opera, helped recover a neglected opera.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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His refusal to weaponize suffering is one of his most important — and most neglected— lessons.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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They have been seen directing snaking security lines and passing out water bottles to tired travelers.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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Step in when someone’s tired or needs a break.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Its walls of red brick had grown thicker after years of gunked ink, the slats of its wooden floors were wildly uneven beneath the buckling weight of antiquated iron machines.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Idaho is taking steps to bolster its antiquated coroner system following stories by ProPublica that documented how lawmakers have repeatedly failed to fix problems that harm grieving families.—
Audrey Dutton,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Wise knew that these hackneyed tools would get him nowhere.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
7 Mar. 2026
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Few parents can follow the hackneyed wisdom of living in the moment.—
Yiyun Li,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moth-eaten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moth-eaten. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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