old

1 of 2

adjective

ˈōld 

for sense 9 usually

ˈōl 

older; oldest

1

a

: dating from the remote past : ancient

old traditions

b

: persisting from an earlier time

an old ailment

they brought up the same old argument

c

: of long standing

an old friend

2

a

: distinguished from an object of the same kind by being of an earlier date

many still used the old name

b

capitalized : belonging to an early period in the development of a language or literature

Old Persian

3

: having existed for a specified period of time

a child three years old

4

: of, relating to, or originating in a past era

old chronicles record the event

5

a

: advanced in years or age

an old person

b

: showing the characteristics of age

looked old at 20

6

: experienced

an old trooper speaking of the last war

7

: former

his old students

8

a

: showing the effects of time or use : worn, aged

old shoes

b

: no longer in use : discarded

old rags

c

: of a grayish or dusty color

old mauve

d

: tiresome

gets old fast

9

a

: long familiar

same old story

good old Joe

b

—used as an intensive

a high old time

c

—used to express an attitude of affection or amusement

a big old dog

flex the old biceps

any old time

old

2 of 2

noun

1

: one of a specified age

—usually used in combination

a 3-year-old

2

: old or earlier time

—used in the phrase of old

the cavalry of old

Synonyms

Adjective

• aged
• aging
• ageing
• ancient
• elderly
• geriatric
• long-lived
• older
• over-the-hill
• senescent
• senior
• unyoung

Choose the Right Synonym for old

old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete 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

ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

the family's venerable patriarch

antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.

collected antique Chippendale furniture

antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

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

Examples of old in a Sentence

Adjective

He's an old man now.

We rented an old black-and-white movie.

There's an old saying that good fences make good neighbors.

a new approach to an old problem

She wore a T-shirt and an old pair of jeans.

I wish you would stop wearing that dirty old hat!

The hotel was old and dingy.

the oldest known civilization in the region

The house we live in is 50 years old.

We went back to visit our old neighborhood.

Noun

Young and old alike will enjoy the movie.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Kishida noted the longevity of the D.C. cherry trees, some of which are 112 years old. —Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024

In Michael Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt’s adaptation of the novel, which Showalter also directs, Hayes is four years older, and Solène’s daughter has aged out of being a superfan of his band. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024

Rose flashes back to being eight years old and playing with his best friends, whose mother died of cancer. —Sarah Grant, SPIN, 10 Apr. 2024

Yarden Bibas was separated from his wife Shiri and their children Kfir and Ariel, who were just 9 months and 4 years old respectively on October 7. —Alex Marquardt, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024

Last week, ahead of the release of her album The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift shared five new playlists that sort her old songs into stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. —Angela Haupt, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

Jenner’s older sister, Kim Kardashian, also owns a piece from the famed runway: a necklace that appeared in the Barbie movie. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 10 Apr. 2024

Miguel Breed: Hound mix, brindle coat Age: 5 months old This 24 pound bundle of joy is a hound with a huge zest for life. —Teryn Jones, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024

Legal challenges that advanced from Louisville Metro Council to the Kentucky Supreme Court over the demolition of the old Holy Name gym and school at Fourth Street and Haywood Avenue delayed those plans, the Courier Journal previously reported. —Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024

Noun

Last summer, the National Association of Education Progress (commonly known as America’s Report Card) released findings that showed 13 year olds are scoring their lowest levels since 1990 in math and since 2004 in reading. —Peter Georgescu, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

There will also be a special drop for children with disabilities at 11:30 a.m Fraser's Steffens Park will drop marshmallows on Saturday, with children split up by ages: 1-5 year olds at noon and ages 6-10 at 12:30 p.m. —Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2024

For context, the U.S. personal median income (which includes 15 year olds and those without a degree at all) is $40,480. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2024

Among 30 to 39 year olds, Porter has 25% while Garvey and Schiff each have 11%. —David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 2 Mar. 2024

The Biden Administration turns their back on this crisis and, as a result, fentanyl has become the number one killer of 18-45 year olds in this country. —Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2024

New Frontier Data, a cannabis research firm, found that 69% of 18-24 year olds prefer cannabis to alcohol. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2024

While that’s not an excuse for many of the team’s young guys, the truth is that this team was built around — and in the image of — the olds. —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic in the U.K. the number of 18-year olds applying to go to university has been rising sharply in the last two years, following 5 years of stagnation. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

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

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing old

• age-old
• any old
• any old day
• dirty old man
• (as) tough as old boots
• good old boy
• give it the old college try
• money for old rope
• good old
• in one's old age
• old country
• old before one's time
• old boys' network
• old boy network
• of old
• old-growth
• old friend
• old goat
• old girl
• old gold
• old guard
• old-man's beard
• old man
• old-line
• old hand
• old habits die hard
• old school tie
• old salt
• old school
• old news
• old master
• one's old self
• old-timer
• old-timey
• old-time
• the good old days
• ripe old age
• the old country
• the old Adam
• the old guard
• the (old) heave-ho
• there's no fool like an old fool
• the old school
• the same old story
• you can't teach an old dog new tricks
• up to one's (old) tricks
• young/old for one's years
• old age
• for old times' sake
• old rose
• old-fashioned
• old hat
• grand old man
• old-shoe
• old sledge
• young and old
• reopen old wounds
• old boy
• old-world
• know (someone) of old
• old maid
• old style
• old lady
• old wives' tale
• the same old
• as old as the hills
• old stagers
• old money
• got the old heave-ho
• chip off the old block
• returned to her old self
• old enough to know better

Kids Definition

old

1 of 2 adjective

ˈōld 

1

a

: dating from the distant past

an old custom

b

: having lasted or been such for a long time

an old friend

2

capitalized : belonging to an early period in development

Old Irish

3

: having existed for a specified length of time

a child three years old

4

: having lived a long time

old people

5

: former sense 1

my old teachers

6

: showing the effects of time or use

wore an old coat

7

: long familiar

it's still the same old story

old

2 of 2 noun

: old or earlier time

in days of old