as in elderly
showing a loss of mental ability (such as memory) in old age
a senile man in his eighties Her mother is becoming senile.
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Recent Examples of senile
In one story, Earn’s seemingly routine trip to church with Gloria, Jeanie, and his senile grandfather (Bob Banks) goes pear-shaped when Gloria abruptly drives off with her dad, leaving behind Earn and a bewildered Jeanie, who has recently been their father’s caretaker.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022
Why do humans develop senile ovaries by age 30?
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 20 Aug. 2022
Trump regularly claimed during the 2020 campaign that Biden was senile.
—Dallas News, 9 Feb. 2022
The sky broken by the bare oaks and elms of New Prospect was full of moist promise, a pair of frontal systems grayly colluding to deliver a white Christmas, when Russ Hildebrandt made his morning rounds among the homes of bedridden and senile parishioners in his Plymouth Fury wagon.
—Wyatt Mason, WSJ, 6 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for senile
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022
Why do humans develop senile ovaries by age 30?
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 20 Aug. 2022
Trump regularly claimed during the 2020 campaign that Biden was senile.
—Dallas News, 9 Feb. 2022
The sky broken by the bare oaks and elms of New Prospect was full of moist promise, a pair of frontal systems grayly colluding to deliver a white Christmas, when Russ Hildebrandt made his morning rounds among the homes of bedridden and senile parishioners in his Plymouth Fury wagon.
—Wyatt Mason, WSJ, 6 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for senile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for senile
Adjective
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One has multiple young children and an elderly dog who had already gotten into physical fights with Oli.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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On the eve of sentencing, Combs submitted a personal letter to the judge asking for leniency, referencing his seven children and elderly mother.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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People only 21 years or older are allowed to shop at Canna Bloom.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The club now hosts the Ally Challenge, a senior event on the PGA Champions Tour.—
John Wisely,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Senile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/senile. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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