Synonyms of obsolete

obsolete

adjective

ˌäb-sə-ˈlēt 

as in archaic

having passed its time of use or usefulness

I was told my old printer is obsolete and I can't get replacement parts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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• outdated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• out-of-date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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective obsolete differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of obsolete are ancient, antiquated, antique, archaic, old, and venerable. While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence.

a computer that makes earlier models obsolete

When could ancient be used to replace obsolete?

The synonyms ancient and obsolete are sometimes interchangeable, but ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

Where would antiquated be a reasonable alternative to obsolete?

While in some cases nearly identical to obsolete, antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

In what contexts can antique take the place of obsolete?

The words antique and obsolete can be used in similar contexts, but antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.

collected antique Chippendale furniture

When is archaic a more appropriate choice than obsolete?

In some situations, the words archaic and obsolete are roughly equivalent. However, archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

When might old be a better fit than obsolete?

Although the words old and obsolete have much in common, old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses

an old sweater of mine

When would venerable be a good substitute for obsolete?

The meanings of venerable and obsolete largely overlap; however, venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

the family's venerable patriarch

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of obsolete

The main suspect is orangeburg pipes, made from wood pulp and tar and used extensively in sewer laterals and sewer mains during the 1940s thorough the 1970s and now considered obsolete. —Molly McCrea, CBS News, 22 May 2026

Even most bills are paid electronically, so that mail function is also close to obsolete. —Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026

The boom in the market was touched off by the overnight success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which showed that chatbots could answer users’ questions in conversational fashion, threatening to make Google’s list of links to websites obsolete. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 May 2026

The introduction of the helical tapes and the rotary head technology in the early 1950s and their ultimate dominance in the market made the original tape editing process obsolete. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 May 2026