as in traditional
tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions
an old-line professor who still taught as if it were 1930
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 old-line
Among the festival organizers, Yarrow was an advocate for the topical songwriting and contemporary sounds that some old-line folk aficionados resisted.
—
Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Among the festival organizers, Yarrow was an advocate for the topical songwriting and contemporary sounds that some old-line folk aficionados resisted.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Her main opponent is expected to be Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia), 74, who is considered a more mainstream, old-line Democratic figure.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024
On the other hand, the old-line producers knew how to tap into the classic novels of Dickens or Steinbeck to spin out great stories with legendary stars.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Overall, the result was a success story that old-line competitors couldn’t match.
—Bhopi Dhall and Saurajit Kanungo, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
And without these old-line agencies bleeding taxpayers dry, New York will have funds to put these better alternatives in place.
—Richard Wexler, New York Daily News, 13 May 2024
Renowned for ancient churches and the tomb of Dante, the 14th-century poet, the city of Ravenna and its environs along Italy’s Adriatic coast are also home to old-line industries like steel and fertilizer.
—Stanley Reed, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Trump would also face a Congress less inclined to impose such constraints, having established ideological mastery of the Republican Party, whose old-line elites can no longer claim that his agenda is aberrant and must be resisted.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024
Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Among the festival organizers, Yarrow was an advocate for the topical songwriting and contemporary sounds that some old-line folk aficionados resisted.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Her main opponent is expected to be Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia), 74, who is considered a more mainstream, old-line Democratic figure.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 6 Dec. 2024
On the other hand, the old-line producers knew how to tap into the classic novels of Dickens or Steinbeck to spin out great stories with legendary stars.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024
Overall, the result was a success story that old-line competitors couldn’t match.
—Bhopi Dhall and Saurajit Kanungo, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
And without these old-line agencies bleeding taxpayers dry, New York will have funds to put these better alternatives in place.
—Richard Wexler, New York Daily News, 13 May 2024
Renowned for ancient churches and the tomb of Dante, the 14th-century poet, the city of Ravenna and its environs along Italy’s Adriatic coast are also home to old-line industries like steel and fertilizer.
—Stanley Reed, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Trump would also face a Congress less inclined to impose such constraints, having established ideological mastery of the Republican Party, whose old-line elites can no longer claim that his agenda is aberrant and must be resisted.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old-line
Adjective
-
But newer spots such as Lucky Day, which opened in 2017, are expanding beyond Buffalo’s traditional menu offerings.—
David Allan,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
-
Candidates are largely barred from traditional campaigning, a policy to try to level the playing field among candidates with different campaign funds.—
Jack Nicas,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
Nawrocki, a conservative historian and amateur boxer who was backed by PiS, had presented the vote as a referendum on Tusk's 18-month-old government.—
Anna Magdalena Lubowicka,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
-
The attacks from Trump and his allies on Leo and the Federalist Society reflect rifts between the populist Right and the conservative legal establishment.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Martinez is 29 years old, stands at 5-foot-11 with a 72-inch reach, and fights in an orthodox right-handed stance.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
-
But there should be no such wall—even in the most orthodox capitalist system.—
Paul Laudicina,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Old-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old-line. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share