as in archaic
having passed its time of use or usefulness
I was told my old printer is obsolete and I can't get replacement parts
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Recent Examples of obsolete
First observed in 1825, the meteor shower radiates from an obsolete constellation called Quadrans Muralis—named by a French astronomer in 1795, it was left out of the International Astronomical Union’s list of official constellations in 1922.
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Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2026
This stretch of the park, an object of fascination for Urbano, contains an array of a hundred or so different models of public gaslights, now obsolete and semi-derelict.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Some clinics use obsolete techniques; however, Vera Clinic -- an eminent name in Turkish hair transplant clinic-uses advanced techniques like Oxycure Therapy and stem cell treatments to support the graft’s health in the healing process.
—Will Jones, Kansas City Star, 31 Dec. 2025
Artificial intelligence has rendered my first job obsolete.
—Nick Geisler, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obsolete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obsolete
Adjective
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Rejecting the streamlining and modernizing approach of many recent translations, Mendelsohn artfully reproduces the epic’s formal qualities—meter, enjambment, alliteration, assonance—and in so doing restores to Homer’s masterwork its archaic grandeur.—
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Nearly 20 years later, the law may seem archaic, the Enquirer previously reported, and may be a violation of the First Amendment.—
Adjective
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The pair led City to the Third Division title in May 1985, but triumph turned to tragedy on the final day of the season as the antiquated main stand caught fire with devastating consequences.—
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Insufferable antiquated federal standards reflect low expectations that do not meet the modern day needs of working New Yorkers.—
Adjective
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The quaint city suffered very little damage during World War II, meaning its distinctly medieval structures have managed to remain intact over the years.—
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Take the quiz here … LEGENDARY LISTING – Jaw-dropping medieval castle with 100 rooms hits market with nearly 1,000 years of history.—
Cite this Entry
“Obsolete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obsolete. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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