Old — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈōld/

Meaning & Definition of Old

Old (adjective)

  1. dating from the remote past, ancient
  2. persisting from an earlier time
  3. of long standing

Old (noun)

  1. one of a specified age —usually used in combination
  2. old or earlier time —used in the phrase of old

Old (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: aged, aging, ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, older, over-the-hill, senescent, senior, unyoung, long in the tooth, of a certain age
    related: centenarian, nonagenarian, octogenarian, septuagenarian, sexagenarian, oldish, adult, grown-up, mature, middle-aged, pensioned, retired, superannuated, matriarchal, patriarchal, venerable, anile, decrepit, doddering, senile, spavined, tottery, overage
    opposite: young, youthful
    near: ageless, youngish, adolescent, immature, juvenile, preteen, puerile, minor, underage, callow, green, inexperienced, raw, babyish, childish, childlike, infantile, infantine, kiddish

  2. dating or surviving from the distant past

    "an extremely old piece of jewelry was discovered in the Egyptian ruins"

    similar: age-old, aged, ancient, antediluvian, antique, dateless, hoar, hoary, immemorial, venerable
    related: aging, mature, antiquated, archaic, archaistic, dated, fusty, geriatric, medieval, moldy, Noachian, obsolete, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, old-fashioned, old-time, old-world, retro, vintage, durable, enduring, lasting, long-lived, permanent, ageless, hallowed, time-honored, timeless, time-tested, timeworn, traditional, tried, tried-and-true, classic, classical, prehistoric, primeval, primordial
    opposite: modern, new, recent
    near: fresh, vernal, young, youthful, contemporary, current, latest, mod, novel, present-day, ultramodern, untested, untried, brand-new, unused, unworn

  3. having been such at some previous time

    "I ran into my old fourth-grade teacher yesterday"

    similar: erstwhile, former, late, once, onetime, other, past, quondam, sometime, whilom
    related: bygone, dead, defunct, departed, expired, extinct, gone, long-ago, vanished
    near: contemporary, current, extant, ongoing, present, present-day, coming, future, prospective, unborn

  4. causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest

    "even the most stirring speeches start to get old after you've heard them a few times"

    similar: arid, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum, humdrum, jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing, monochromatic, monotonous, numbing, pedestrian, ponderous, slow, stale, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying
    related: aseptic, barren, blah, dullish, pleasureless, prosaic, prosy, soggy, spiritless, blank, earthbound, gray, inanimate, pallid, pedantic, sterile, suspenseless, undramatic, uneventful, unexciting, unimaginative, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, annoying, bothersome, irksome, irritating, longsome, palling, draining, enervating, exhausting, fatiguing, wearing, debilitating, enfeebling, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, common, commonplace, ordinary, tepid, unexceptional, unsurprising, vapid, cumbersome, lumbering, plodding, poky
    opposite: absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting
    near: amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, sensational, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, animating, breathtaking, electrifying, energizing, enlivening, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, hair-raising, inspiring, invigorating, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, amusing, diverting, entertaining, moving, poignant, touching, alluring, attracting, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, enthralling, entrancing, fascinating, mesmerizing, spellbinding, suspenseful, arresting, provocative, tantalizing

Old (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in antiquity, yore

    similar: antiquity, yore, yesterday, yesteryear, moment, now, present, today, past
    opposite: by-and-by, future, futurity, hereafter, offing, tomorrow, eventuality, finality, posterity

Related Entry: Old-fashioned (adjective)

Old-fashioned is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old-fashioned, not for old.

  1. pleasantly reminiscent of an earlier time

    "an elegant, old-fashioned bun that was held in place with pearl hairpins"

    similar: antique, oldfangled, old-school, old-time, old-timey, old-world, quaint, retro, retrograde, vintage
    related: antiquated, moldy, obsolete, rinky-dink, historic, historical, olden, traditional, old hat, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, superannuated, dated, fusty, moth-eaten, musty, stodgy, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, atavistic, fossilized, hoary, venerable, bygone, erstwhile, former, late, past, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless, anachronistic, anachronous
    opposite: contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic, new age, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date
    near: fresh, new, chic, designer, fashionable, smart, stylish, modernized, refurbished, remodeled, renewed, updated, last, latest, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, nontraditional, recent

  2. tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions

    "I'm so old-fashioned that I actually think people should use standard grammar and punctuation when composing e-mails"

    similar: archconservative, brassbound, button-down, conservative, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-line, old-school, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive
    related: conventional, square, devoted, faithful, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, true-blue, blimpish, neoconservative, Tory, ultraright, ultrarightist, dowdy, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, ossified, set, stodgy, right, right-wing, antiliberal, antimodern, antiprogressive, antireform, antirevolutionary
    opposite: broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox
    near: anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, contemporary, modern, lefty, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive, ultraradical

Related Entry: Old hand (noun)

Old hand is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old hand, not for old.

  1. a person with long experience in a specified area

    "with 25 years on the job, Vinnie was the old hand everyone went to with their problems"

    similar: doyen, old-timer, stager, vet, veteran, warhorse
    related: doyenne, adept, dab hand (chiefly British), expert, guru, hand, master, maven, past master, pro, professional
    opposite: beginner, colt, fledgling, freshman, greenhorn, neophyte, newbie, newcomer, novice, recruit, rookie, tenderfoot, tyro
    near: apprentice, cub, boot, novitiate, amateur, dilettante, learner, student, trainee, candidate, entrant, probationer

Related Entry: Old lady (noun)

Old lady is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old lady, not for old.

  1. a female human parent

    "the story is that my old lady wanted to name me Cecil, but the old man prevailed"

    similar: ma, mama, mammy, mater (chiefly British), mom, mommy, mother
    related: materfamilias, matriarch, matron, stepmother, supermom, superwoman

  2. the female partner in a marriage

    "he jokingly commented that he'd love to buy a sports car, but his old lady would throw a fit"

    similar: helpmate, helpmeet, lady, madam, missus, Mrs., wife, wifey, woman (chiefly dialect)
    related: bride, better half, companion, consort, mate, partner, significant other, soulmate, spouse, dowager, matron, hausfrau, homemaker, housekeeper, housewife, stay-at-home, widow

  3. a female romantic companion

    "if he ever tried stepping out on her, his old lady would fill him with buckshot"

    similar: gal, gill, girl, girlfriend, inamorata, lady, ladylove, woman
    related: mistress, moll, beloved, darling, dear, favorite, flame, honey, love, lover, significant other, sweet, sweetheart, valentine

Related Entry: Old-line (adjective)

Old-line is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old-line, not for old.

  1. tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions

    "an old-line professor who still taught as if it were 1930"

    similar: archconservative, brassbound, button-down, conservative, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-school, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive
    related: conventional, square, devoted, faithful, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, true-blue, blimpish, neoconservative, Tory, ultraright, ultrarightist, dowdy, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, ossified, set, stodgy, right, right-wing, antiliberal, antimodern, antiprogressive, antireform, antirevolutionary
    opposite: broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox
    near: anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, contemporary, modern, lefty, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive, ultraradical

Related Entry: Old-maidish (adjective)

Old-maidish is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old-maidish, not for old.

  1. hard to please

    "an old-maidish teacher who required that every essay be written in very formal English"

    similar: choosy, dainty, delicate, demanding, exacting, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, particular, pernickety (chiefly British), persnickety, picky
    related: hyperfastidious, overdemanding, ultrafastidious, discerning, discriminating, selective, insightful, knowledgeable, captious, carping, caviling, critical, faultfinding, hypercritical, overcritical, careful, meticulous, painstaking, punctilious, scrupulous, queasy, squeamish, peevish, petulant, prickly, touchy, niminy-piminy, prim, prissy
    opposite: undemanding, unfastidious, unfussy
    near: affable, breezy, carefree, devil-may-care, happy-go-lucky, lackadaisical, laid-back, low-pressure, relaxed, flexible, lax, loose, lenient, permissive, uncritical, indiscriminating, undiscriminating

Related Entry: Old man (noun)

Old man is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old man, not for old.

  1. a male human parent

    "I'll ask my old man if he's up for a round of golf this weekend"

    similar: dad, daddy, father, pa, papa, pater (chiefly British), pop, sire
    related: paterfamilias, patriarch, father figure, father image, stepfather

  2. the male partner in a marriage

    "my old man and I have been together for 10 years now"

    similar: hubby, husband, man, mister
    related: better half, companion, consort, mate, partner, significant other, spouse, Mr. Right, soulmate, bridegroom, groom, benedict, widower, househusband

  3. a male romantic companion

    "my old man and I have decided to move in together"

    similar: beau, boy, boyfriend, fellow, man, swain
    related: admirer, crush, steady, gallant, suitor, wooer, beloved, darling, dear, favorite, flame, honey, love, lover, significant other, soulmate, spark, sparker, squeeze (slang), sweet, sweetheart, sweetie, sweetie pie, valentine, fancy man, gigolo, date, escort, groom, husband, fiancé, intended

Related Entry: Old Nick (noun)

Old Nick is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for Old Nick, not for old.

  1. the supreme personification of evil often represented as the ruler of hell

    "he gave me a look that would scare Old Nick"

    similar: archfiend, Beelzebub, devil, fiend, Lucifer, Satan, serpent
    related: deuce, dickens, Mephistopheles

Related Entry: Old-school (adjective)

Old-school is a different word from Old. The synonyms below are for old-school, not for old.

  1. pleasantly reminiscent of an earlier time

    "an old-school romantic comedy in which the two leads don't jump into bed at the first opportunity"

    similar: antique, old-fashioned, old-time, old-timey, old-world, oldfangled, quaint, retro, retrograde, vintage
    related: antiquated, moldy, obsolete, rinky-dink, historic, historical, olden, traditional, old hat, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, superannuated, dated, fusty, moth-eaten, musty, stodgy, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, atavistic, fossilized, hoary, venerable, bygone, erstwhile, former, late, past, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless, anachronistic, anachronous
    opposite: contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic, new age, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date
    near: fresh, new, chic, designer, fashionable, smart, stylish, modernized, refurbished, remodeled, renewed, updated, last, latest, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, nontraditional, recent

  2. tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions

    "an old-school gentleman who opened doors and pulled out chairs for women"

    similar: archconservative, brassbound, button-down, conservative, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-fashioned, old-line, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive
    related: conventional, square, devoted, faithful, loyal, staunch, steadfast, steady, true, true-blue, blimpish, neoconservative, Tory, ultraright, ultrarightist, dowdy, fogyish, fuddy-duddy, ossified, set, stodgy, right, right-wing, antiliberal, antimodern, antiprogressive, antireform, antirevolutionary
    opposite: broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox
    near: anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, contemporary, modern, lefty, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive, ultraradical

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Old

The most common words with a similar meaning to Old:

aged, aging, ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, older, over-the-hill, senescent, senior, unyoung, age-old, antediluvian, antique, dateless, hoar, hoary, immemorial, venerable, erstwhile, former, late, once, onetime, other, past, quondam, sometime, whilom, arid, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Old

Words with the opposite meaning of Old:

young, youthful, modern, new, recent, absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting, by-and-by, future, futurity, hereafter, offing, tomorrow, eventuality, finality, posterity

Related Words for Old

centenarian, nonagenarian, octogenarian, septuagenarian, sexagenarian, oldish, adult, grown-up, mature, middle-aged, pensioned, retired, superannuated, matriarchal, patriarchal, anile, decrepit, doddering, senile, spavined, tottery, overage, antiquated, archaic, archaistic, dated, fusty, medieval, moldy, Noachian

Near Antonyms of Old

ageless, youngish, adolescent, immature, juvenile, preteen, puerile, minor, underage, callow, green, inexperienced, raw, babyish, childish, childlike, infantile, infantine, kiddish, fresh, vernal, contemporary, current, latest, mod, novel, present-day, ultramodern, untested, untried

Word Forms of Old

Inflections: older, oldest

Origin & Etymology of Old

Middle English, from Old English eald; akin to Old High German alt old, Latin alere to nourish, alescere to grow, altus high, deep

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Old

Words & Phrases Containing Old

Old Avestan, old boy, Old Bulgarian, Old Catholic, Old Christmas, Old Church Slavic, old country, Old Egyptian

Frequently Asked Questions about Old

What does "Old" mean?

"Old" means dating from the remote past, ancient. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: dating from the remote past, ancient. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Old"?

Other words for "Old" include aged, aging, ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, older and over-the-hill. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Old" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Old"?

There are 194 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Old". Common alternatives include aged, aging, ancient, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, older, over-the-hill, senescent and senior.

What is the opposite of "Old"?

Antonyms of "Old" include young, youthful, modern, new, recent, absorbing, engaging and engrossing. Near antonyms include ageless, youngish, adolescent and immature.

How do you use "Old" in a sentence?

Examples of "Old" in a sentence: "every day the old fisherman set out in his small boat to brave the dangers of the sea"; "an extremely old piece of jewelry was discovered in the Egyptian ruins"; "I ran into my old fourth-grade teacher yesterday".

Is "Old" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Old" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Old" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Old" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Old"?

"Old" is pronounced /ˈōld/.