OBSOLESCENCE Synonyms: 21 Similar and Opposite Words

obsolescence

noun

as in obsoleteness

the condition of no longer being used or useful; the condition of being obsolete the obsolescence of the old technology Once a useful tool, slide rules have fallen into obsolescence.

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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 obsolescence The film industry that includes Chalamet is doing little more than confirming and solidifying its own obsolescence. —

Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026 That feeling of obsolescence comes to a head when a half-dozen former students lodge complaints of inappropriate behavior against John. —

Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026 All-American obsolescence To love Pluto is to also love Flagstaff – a charming town of old brick buildings and cozy gathering spaces, full of college kids and old hippies, surrounded by mountain peaks and outdoor recreation. —

David Allan, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026 Works engaging centuries-deep material practices operate under different temporal physics than contemporary art calibrated to obsolescence. —

Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obsolescence

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsolescence

Noun

Even the most complimentary appraisals of Raphael, which celebrate his multimodal genius—painter, draftsman, architect, poet, surveyor of antiquities—also mention his exquisite social tact and career climbing.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The prosecutor said the antiquities unit traced the books to South Carolina in 2006 but was unaware of their chain of custody until then.

— Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026