1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
3
as in former
having been such at some previous time
I ran into my old fourth-grade teacher yesterday
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4
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of old
Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2026
The 30-year-old is just three years removed from his final start as an NFL quarterback.
—Tom Schad, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2026
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
From the bathroom, the 8-year-old called for Furlong and asked for help with his tie.
—Laura Kwerel, NPR, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for old
Adjective
Officers provided medical aid to the 29-year-old victim until Contra Costa County Fire Protection District personnel arrived at the scene.
—Noun
The 28-year-old hauled in 87 receptions for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns last season, representing the first 1,000-yard campaign of his NFL career.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for old
Adjective
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Following Reynolds' death, Tarantino cast Bruce Dern to portray Spahn, who is depicted as an elderly, blind man in the film.—
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There is no dignity, and no justice, in a system that buries an elderly woman alive in silence.—
Adjective
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On a cold winter afternoon, António and Jota return from the front with their friends, looking for an ancient Roman thermal bath.—
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Over time, Thompson and her colleagues have unearthed more burials, ancient human DNA and tiny human bone fragments.—
Adjective
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Jack McGregor, a former state senator and the original founder of the Pittsburgh Penguins, died at the age of 91 on Tuesday.—
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Notable alumni Plenty of former Canes players were on the sidelines pregame Thursday.—
Adjective
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Yes, the rich women went to Sedona on Sutton’s private plane, but before that there were a few scenes back in boring old Los Angeles.—
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Disease prevention should be boring, routine, expected, and easy to access.—
Noun
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Officials say truckloads of antiquities were driven from the capital in 2023 — RSF members filmed themselves opening crates of mummified remains — and estimate total losses at $110 million.—
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The Macedonian king is commonly held as the best military commander in antiquity, with an empire that extended from Greece to India.—
Adjective
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But a former senior law enforcement official with knowledge of DHS found Ross’s actions deeply concerning.—
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Frankie Price, a redshirt senior, is expected back around midseason in her recovery from an Achilles tendon injury suffered during the NCAA regional semifinals.—
Adjective
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Roughly one hundred Uffizi staffers staged a demonstration in the courtyard of the venerable Florence institution on January 4, protesting an effective layoff of the museum’s casual workers spurred by a change in service managers.—
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Lorch died in 2012, but his actions, and how much, if any, responsibility the venerable institution should take for them, will be at issue in the case.—
Adjective
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The erstwhile quarterback for the Judases should just stay home with Madison Beer, his erstwhile girlfriend, maybe take in a movie.—
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Inside, a trove of occult objects attests to its erstwhile owner’s conception of the space as a funerary mansion for his soul in the afterlife.—
Cite this Entry
“Old.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/old. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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