variants
also anachronic
as in obsolete
belonging to an earlier time period
The fashions that were all the rage just five years ago seem like anachronistic leftovers today.
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Recent Examples of anachronistic
More screen time is given over to her burgeoning friendship with firebrand suffragette Mary, played by singer Lily Allen in a deliberately anachronistic performance — her forthright speech and manner beamed in directly from the 21st century.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 3 June 2026
And then there is a gory massacre scene from the original Camp Miasma, in which Little Death (played by TV Glow‘s Jack Haven) slaughters dozens of unlucky campers to a highly unusual, anachronistic hit song from the 1990s.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Be sure to stop by the concession stand and stock up on liquids before sitting down to watch Rupert Wyatt’s anachronistic swords-and-sandals epic set, as the opening graphics inform us, 1,500 years ago in Arabia.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Reemerging at a time when indie-rock and alt-country are mingling to substantial success and when slick, young Americana stars fill stadiums, top mainstream charts, and release data-dumps worth of material, Souled American sounds defiantly anachronistic.
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
There were other jarring, anachronistic details in the vignettes.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Set inside a suspiciously anachronistic Dallas-area shopping mall, this recent SXSW premiere follows a quartet of young women working and worshipping at Free Eden.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Until the 20th century, seats in the House of Lords were mostly inherited — which began to look anachronistic in a modern democracy.
—Lauren Frayer, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
In that sense, our business is anachronistic, but fortunately remains very viable.
—Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
Guy Lodge, Variety, 3 June 2026
And then there is a gory massacre scene from the original Camp Miasma, in which Little Death (played by TV Glow‘s Jack Haven) slaughters dozens of unlucky campers to a highly unusual, anachronistic hit song from the 1990s.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026
Be sure to stop by the concession stand and stock up on liquids before sitting down to watch Rupert Wyatt’s anachronistic swords-and-sandals epic set, as the opening graphics inform us, 1,500 years ago in Arabia.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Reemerging at a time when indie-rock and alt-country are mingling to substantial success and when slick, young Americana stars fill stadiums, top mainstream charts, and release data-dumps worth of material, Souled American sounds defiantly anachronistic.
—Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
There were other jarring, anachronistic details in the vignettes.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Set inside a suspiciously anachronistic Dallas-area shopping mall, this recent SXSW premiere follows a quartet of young women working and worshipping at Free Eden.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Until the 20th century, seats in the House of Lords were mostly inherited — which began to look anachronistic in a modern democracy.
—Lauren Frayer, NPR, 21 Mar. 2026
In that sense, our business is anachronistic, but fortunately remains very viable.
—Emily M. Olson, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anachronistic
Adjective
-
Its older and obsolete buildings have for years been losing office tenants to sleek new skyscrapers that popped up to the west along the Chicago River or in Fulton Market.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
Simply speaking, much of our levee on private data is becoming obsolete.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
At the outset, the tech companies operated in a legal space that the country’s antiquated commercial code had not yet mapped.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
-
Many continue to use antiquated customer data models or adhere to conventional marketing tactics.—
Dr. Bin Tang,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Gone is the vintage Magic Flyer, once Magic Mountain’s oldest coaster (the park’s eldest thrill seeker is now Gold Rusher).—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
The pair packed on the PDA, with Perry in a vintage white halter-neck Lanvin gown with rose embellishments and her brunette hair styled into an updo.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
That's far lower than the traditional 90-day window, and significantly lower than the more modern 45-day barrier.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
The event also featured traditional performance elements, including a vibrant dancer, as city officials and community members marked the beginning of the project.—
Maddie White,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
For many, the preservation of this traditional craft is a way to heal historical wounds and look brightly to the future.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
But of course, the systemic racism and violence at the root of those protests runs as deep as the founding of America itself, and artworks addressing those realities foster a more substantive historical reckoning today.—
Greg Allen,
ARTnews.com,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Among the most renowned establishments is Salon Corona, a restaurant and brewery in Mexico City’s historic center.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
-
During Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March), the foundation also leads specific tours with a narrow focus on the historic contributions of each group.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anachronistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anachronistic. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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