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as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest even the most stirring speeches start to get old after you've heard them a few times

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

old

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noun

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an old woman
an elderly woman
an octogenarian woman
a senior woman
a grandmotherly woman
an elder woman
an old house
an outdated house
an obsolete house
a previous house
a former house
an earlier house
old days
ancient days
archaic days
long-past days
in-those days
simpler days
an old town
a historic town
a classic town
a historical town
an ancient town
an old friend
a longtime friend
a past friend
a familiar friend
a longstanding friend
a previous friend

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective old differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of old are ancient, antiquated, antique, archaic, obsolete, and venerable. While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses
an old sweater of mine

When can ancient be used instead of old?

While in some cases nearly identical to old, ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

When might antiquated be a better fit than old?

In some situations, the words antiquated and old are roughly equivalent. However, antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

When would antique be a good substitute for old?

The meanings of antique and old largely overlap; however, 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 old?

While the synonyms archaic and old are close in meaning, archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

In what contexts can obsolete take the place of old?

The words obsolete and old are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 is it sensible to use venerable instead of old?

The words venerable and old can be used in similar contexts, but venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

the family's venerable patriarch

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
Adjective
In the last three years, the 1-800 number her organization runs has seen a spike in calls from 18 to 20 year olds, and calls from 21 to 25 year olds have tripled. Rachel Hale, USA Today, 14 May 2025 Two 19-year-olds and one 16-year-old were killed, according to a Facebook post from Las Cruces Police. Zoe Sottile, CNN, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
Finally, came from an unexpected source: the tiny, stone Presbyterian church that is one of the few surviving structures of the old Fort McDowell. Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025 Delaying tree harvests and protecting older forests enhances carbon sequestration, making untouched forests vital for reducing carbon dioxide and combating climate change. Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for old
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old
Adjective
  • The Low Income Energy Assistance Program provides a one-time payment to households with disabled or elderly people to help cover heating costs, according to the NCDHHS website.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The proportion of elderly is too high – accounting for nearly 30% of the entire population, according to the new data – while the proportion of younger adults, of child-bearing and working age, is continually shrinking.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Visitors typically find ancient shark’s teeth and internal molds of ammonites and oyster shells.
    Mark Price, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
  • In Howard Schwartz’s version of Rabbinic folktales, the images and storylines of Jewish folklore become colorful, polymorphic, and wondrous while never losing an aura of ancient scariness.
    Jon Raymond August 5, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Superstore alums took to social media to memorialize their former costar on Thursday.
    Lauren Huff Published, EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Jane, a former school teacher, is survived by her husband Bill, their three kids (Pitt and his younger siblings Doug and Julie) and 14 grandkids.
    Benjamin VanHoose, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Stick with boring investments to avoid big mistakes from get-rich-quick schemes.
    Jonathan I. Shenkman, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Hosting every summit in a big European city would alleviate much of the pressure to re-invent the wheel every time with respect to hotels, transit, and other boring but essential logistical details.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Built by the pharaoh Akhenaten, who was dedicated to worshipping the sun's disk, the ancient city was discovered in 2020 near Luxor by Zahi Hawass, one of the world's most famous archaeologists and former minister of tourism and antiquities in Egypt.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 19 July 2025
  • The purpose of seeking a humanities education is to learn the great texts and ideas that have stirred the soul of civilization since antiquity.
    Isabella Brannon, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • The order calls for the Labor Department and Securities and Exchange Commission to issue guidance to employers about providing access to those alternative investments in their retirement accounts, according to a senior White House official.
    Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Think Only Murders in the Building, only set in a British retirement home, as the comic crime caper based on the book by Richard Osman introduces senior crime busters not content to just play bridge or engage in idle gossip for leisure.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, New York’s parks and trails generate more than $5 billion in annual economic activity — on par with New York State’s venerable agricultural sector.
    Paul Steely White, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Its namesake company may or may not have been part of one of the most notorious corporate mergers of all time; that merger may or may not have involved the publisher of the venerable business magazine Fortune.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • For that is indeed the erstwhile marijuana mogul’s official job title, at least for now.
    Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025
  • In 2019, the erstwhile pair picked up a second neighboring property for $2.7 million.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Old.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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