middle-aged

adjective

Definition of middle-agednext
as in retired

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for middle-aged
  1. retired
  2. adult
  3. oldish
  4. octogenarian
  5. superannuated
  6. elderly
  7. septuagenarian
  8. grown-up
Adjective
  • That night, it would be signed by the oceanographer, former Navy captain, and retired astronaut Kathryn Sullivan—the first person to both walk in outer space and visit the deepest point of the ocean, in the Mariana Trench.
    — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Kodiak employs a retired California Highway Patrol officer who works with law enforcement on how to interact with driverless trucks.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of retired
Adjective
  • While on the ground, the eagle was seen in a fight with two sub-adult eagles, according to the nonprofit.
    — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • The encounter is rare because the vast majority of sub-adult and adult sharks end up at Cape Cod, Dodd said.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Definition of adult
Adjective
  • Most of us travelling correspondents were youngish reporters from oldish outlets, wearing blue button-downs and carrying notebooks in the back pockets of our Bonobos.
    — Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Almost all were sort of oldish homes; this wasn’t an area with huge three-plus million dollar house.
    — Ali MacGraw, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Jan. 2025
Definition of oldish
Adjective
  • Ouma Hettie is an octogenarian goat herder in South Africa’s Kamiesberge.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ilinčić’s show borrowed the delicate ropes of octogenarian textile artist Françoise Grossen weaving them into dresses, skirts, bags and belts.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of octogenarian
Adjective
  • The most unrealistic aspect of this portrayal is that, in 2026, that profile would make Mav not a superannuated flight instructor, but secretary of defense.
    — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
  • Yet León’s superannuated one man revolution does change the world – or at least a little part if it – by changing Cardozo.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of superannuated
Adjective
  • An elderly couple was found dead inside their house on Andover Avenue in Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Wednesday afternoon.
    — Amanda Callahan, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The former owner of several unlicensed North Texas boarding homes was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges tied to the abuse and fatal neglect of elderly and disabled clients in her care.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of elderly
Adjective
  • That’s an attitude that Paulo Herkenhoff, a septuagenarian art curator, resists.
    — Constance Malleret, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Did anyone suggest that, for a septuagenarian with many months of shows ahead around the world, including two homecoming runs through Canada, leaving the ground might not be the best idea?
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of septuagenarian
Adjective
  • Later in the evening when kids were likely to be in bed, the TV audience was overwhelmingly grown-up.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But instead of leaning into Minnie Mouse territory, this A-line midiskirt looks more sophisticated and grown-up with its small dots, satiny finish, and lightly ruffled hemline.
    — Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 25 July 2026
Definition of grown-up
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.

Browse Nearby Words

middle age
middle-aged
middle-ager
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Cite this Entry

“Middle-aged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/middle-aged. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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