as in traditional
tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions
an old-line professor who still taught as if it were 1930
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Recent Examples of old-line
There were old-line Whigs who preferred some sort of compromise, and in the upper South, there were those who thought the Union was indivisible.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
And for the first time, top Wall Street banks weren’t just attracting WASP or old-line German Jewish men with family ties to banking, the historic mainstays of the finance world.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
The larger, at 31 Pratt, is the former headquarters of Society for Savings, an old-line bank whose roots stretched back to 1819.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Under this scenario, the public models will start to look like old-line enterprise software companies, taking in proprietary data, fine-tuning a version of their public model to be private, and then running that model for the customer.
—Forrester, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026
These firms had been the envy of the old-line investment banking houses.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
More practically, people on Netflix’s side might say that further industry consolidation is inevitable, given changing consumer habits and shifting business models for old-line media companies.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
That has included a growing number of tech and IT firms taking their place, pushing off the likes of print publishers and old-line industrial companies in the process.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
And for the first time, top Wall Street banks weren’t just attracting WASP or old-line German Jewish men with family ties to banking, the historic mainstays of the finance world.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
The larger, at 31 Pratt, is the former headquarters of Society for Savings, an old-line bank whose roots stretched back to 1819.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Under this scenario, the public models will start to look like old-line enterprise software companies, taking in proprietary data, fine-tuning a version of their public model to be private, and then running that model for the customer.
—Forrester, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026
These firms had been the envy of the old-line investment banking houses.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2026
More practically, people on Netflix’s side might say that further industry consolidation is inevitable, given changing consumer habits and shifting business models for old-line media companies.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
That has included a growing number of tech and IT firms taking their place, pushing off the likes of print publishers and old-line industrial companies in the process.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old-line
Adjective
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Launched in Taiwan last month to the sound of drums and a traditional lion dance, the 21,000-ton civilian vessel connects the northern Taiwan port of Keelung with the island of Ishigaki, in southwestern Japan’s idyllic Okinawa prefecture.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
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At Miraval Berkshires, guests are immersed in an intimate, nature-rich setting that invites connection, whether that means getting to know others, engaging with our expert specialists, exploring team challenges, or participating in ceremonies grounded in traditional wisdom.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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While some political observers are brushing off speculation that a deluge of ballots could allow Steyer to crawl into the top two, conservative activists are keeping a close watch.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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Energy consultancy Rystad, meanwhile, believes a $1-2 per barrel premium on oil prices is a conservative estimate.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Valencia’s campaign is backed by most of the nation’s traditional parties and by economists who are concerned about the growing levels of debt under the Petro administration and want Colombia to return to more orthodox policies, the Associated Press reported.—
Armando Regil Velasco,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
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The documentary traces Hier’s path from an orthodox Jewish enclave to international prominence as the founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Old-line.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old-line. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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