OLD Synonyms: 311 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

old 1 of 2

adjective

ˈōld

Definition of old

as in elderly

being of advanced years and especially past middle age every day the old fisherman set out in his small boat to brave the dangers of the sea

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ancient

dating or surviving from the distant past an extremely old piece of jewelry was discovered in the Egyptian ruins

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in former

having been such at some previous time I ran into my old fourth-grade teacher yesterday

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

old

2 of 2

noun

as in antiquity

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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

All the garments are handmade and made by artisans using foot pedal looms more than a century old and passed down through generations of artisans, the company said. — Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026 The 71-year-old pontiff had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday in the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026

Noun

But an investigation by ProPublica and Verite News found that 69% of 17-year olds in three of the state’s largest parishes were arrested for offenses that Louisiana law does not consider violent crimes. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 22 May 2026 While most 18-year-olds know a 21-year-old, few can rely on a 26-year-old to do the same. — Katharine Silbaugh, STAT, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for old

Recent Examples of Synonyms for old

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

Adding fuel to the debate is the discovery of ancient artifacts — texts, frescoes, tombstone inscriptions — that seem, to some, to depict women as priests in the early Catholic Church.

— Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The two genetic variants are also ancient, suggesting that the difference has persisted over evolutionary timescales.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of ancient

Adjective

Advertisement The following day, in a public conversation moderated by renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour, President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia, former Irish President Mary Robinson and I reflected on the choices before humanity.

— Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Following the simultaneous departures of former chiefs Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) at the end of last season, long-time fans might have expected another familiar face to take the helm.

— Max Gao, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of former

Adjective

Most impressive is its capacity to achieve the perfect balance between design and sophistication, without being uptight or boring.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Oct. 2026
The game was pretty boring overall, and the Seahawks looked like the significantly better team.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of boring

Noun

The shrine is the place where two ancient Jewish temples stood in antiquity, and it is considered by Jews to be the holiest spot on Earth.

— Ilan Ben Zion, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2026
On Tuesday, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) returned 22 antiquities to Greece.

— Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of antiquity

Adjective

Ragkun Retinol Collagen Cream Among the cream’s ingredients are retinol and collagen, the ultimate anti-aging duo.

— Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 5 Oct. 2026
About the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer As with all Revitalift products, the formula blends a trio of active ingredients to bolster anti-aging benefits.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of aging

Adjective

There’s Haroon Mirza’s Stone Circle, commissioned by Ballroom Marfa, another venerable local institution.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
The venerable broadcast network regained the league’s rights as part of an 11-year media deal, reviving the iconic theme song that accompanied NBA broadcasts from 1990 to 2002.

— Chantz Martin OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of venerable

Adjective

Below’s detour to Little Pot Rock wraps up quickly with little explanation for the erstwhile hag’s seemingly flesh-and-blood existence on the island, but something spooky’s going on with her for sure.

— Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
The Project’s ranks now include about 80 fishermen manning 15 boats who also support the tagging and research of their erstwhile prey (their work has led to the recent world-first tagging of 10 tiger sharks in Indonesian waters).

— Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of erstwhile

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old countries

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

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Synonyms of old

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noun

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