Old-fashioned — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈōl(d)-ˈfa-shənd/ old-fash·ioned

Meaning & Definition of Old-fashioned

Old-fashioned (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a past era
  2. adhering to customs of a past era
  3. outmoded

Old-fashioned (noun)

  1. a cocktail usually made with whiskey, bitters, sugar, a twist of lemon peel, and a small amount of water or soda

Old-fashioned (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  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    related: antiquated, moldy, obsolete, rinky-dink, historic, historical, olden, traditional, old hat, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, superannuated, dated, fusty, moth-eaten, musty, stodgy, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, atavistic, fossilized, hoary, venerable, bygone,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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Old-fashioned

The most common words with a similar meaning to Old-fashioned:

antique, oldfangled, old-school, old-time, old-timey, old-world, quaint, retro, retrograde, vintage, archconservative, brassbound, button-down, conservative, die-hard, hidebound, mossbacked, old-line, orthodox, paleoconservative, reactionary, standpat, traditional, traditionalistic, ultraconservative, unprogressive

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Old-fashioned

Words with the opposite meaning of Old-fashioned:

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, broad-minded, large-minded, liberal, nonconservative, nonconventional, nonorthodox, nontraditional, open-minded, progressive, unconventional, unorthodox

Related Words for Old-fashioned

antiquated, moldy, obsolete, rinky-dink, historic, historical, olden, 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

Near Antonyms of Old-fashioned

fresh, new, chic, designer, fashionable, smart, stylish, modernized, refurbished, remodeled, renewed, updated, last, latest, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, recent, anticonventional, antiestablishment, antitraditional, extremist, radical, revolutionary, nonconformist, advanced, lefty, ultraleft, ultraleftist, ultraprogressive

Word Forms of Old-fashioned

Derived words: old-fashionedly (adverb), old-fashionedness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Old-fashioned

First known use: 1592

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Old-fashioned

Frequently Asked Questions about Old-fashioned

What does "Old-fashioned" mean?

"Old-fashioned" means of, relating to, or characteristic of a past era. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of, relating to, or characteristic of a past era. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Old-fashioned"?

Other words for "Old-fashioned" include antique, oldfangled, old-school, old-time, old-timey, old-world, quaint and retro. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Old-fashioned" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Old-fashioned"?

There are 92 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Old-fashioned". Common alternatives include antique, oldfangled, old-school, old-time, old-timey, old-world, quaint, retro, retrograde and vintage.

What is the opposite of "Old-fashioned"?

Antonyms of "Old-fashioned" include contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic and new age. Near antonyms include fresh, new, chic and designer.

How do you use "Old-fashioned" in a sentence?

Examples of "Old-fashioned" in a sentence: "an elegant, old-fashioned bun that was held in place with pearl hairpins"; "I'm so old-fashioned that I actually think people should use standard grammar and punctuation when composing e-mails".

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

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

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

As a B1-level word, "Old-fashioned" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Old-fashioned"?

"Old-fashioned" is pronounced /ˈōl(d)-ˈfa-shənd/ and divided into syllables as old-fash·ioned.