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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an outdated house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
Needless to say, building Hotel Emma out of the old Pearl Brewery was a massive undertaking, and its owner, Silver Ventures, made several sustainable choices during construction. Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2025 Applicants must be 6 years or older as of the beginning of Oct. 4 to participate. Arkansas Online, 13 May 2025
Noun
The other victims included two 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old; all of the teens were Groton residents. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2025 Two 17-year-olds have been charged as adults in the gruesome stabbing earlier this month of a 14-year-old in Snohomish County, Washington. Brie Stimson, Fox News, 29 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for old
Recent Examples of Synonyms for old
Adjective
  • So, co-author Vance Holliday of the University of Arizona (who also co-authored the 2021 paper) and colleagues decided to radiocarbon-date ancient lake bed and wetlands mud that can be directly traced to the alluvium layers in which the footprints are preserved.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
  • The narrow, shaded Via Santa Maria della Pietà is Neapolitan-esque in its air of ancient mystery, with big arched doorways to houses and glimpses into tiny barber shops and a cubbyhole tattoo parlor.
    Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Also on the Ringling grounds is their ornate former home (some might say palace), Ca’ d ‘Zan, a Venetian-style home that sits at the lapping shores of Sarasota Bay.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
  • The second-term president's highest-priority legislation is under attack from some Senate Republicans – and from his former billionaire adviser Elon Musk – for costing too much.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • Corner infielders Carlos Santana (1B, CLE): The definition of boring and solid.
    Owen Poindexter, New York Times, 13 June 2025
  • These pre-seasoned staples can revive boring veggies or fix a bland soup in no time flat.
    Sarah Felbin, SELF, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • First and foremost, the movie is a period piece revisiting the horrors of the AIDS epidemic with actual horror, transforming HIV-positive patients into humans whose bodies gradually turn to marble, like X-Men crossed with the Greek antiquities wing at the Louvre.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
  • America had brought into the world an agent of displacement no less profound than what antiquity had known — the raw power of capitalism.
    Andrew Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • An elderly man in a dark thobe shuffled into the room, pushing a walker.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • Andrew Do, the former Orange County supervisor who took more than $550,000 in bribes over COVID-relief money meant to buy meals for needy, elderly constituents, was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison.
    Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • Among the entities helping spark such experiences is Sage, one of New York City’s most venerable owner-operators of premium office space, and a fourth-generation company that has withstood the volatile ups and downs of the office market for more than a century.
    Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • The venerable organization honored the exec at its spring gala alongside illustrious New York native and Severance star John Turturro.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Even without his erstwhile power-pitching ability, Kimbrel hopes to compensate with experience.
    Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • As the group’s drummer and erstwhile bassist when Rastegar was unavailable, Wood came into permanent possession of the second chair.
    Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • This one is one person on the street obviously taking the soul of a protester who was stupid enough to go after some police officers.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
  • The pair will make stupid decisions, and viewers will likely wonder: would a girl like Paula really do that for a mess like Sloane?
    Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Old.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.

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