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
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
The jokes — good, bad and cheap — come non-stop in then show’s 90 minutes, and are filled and sometimes pummeled with pop culture and brand-name references, puns, anachronistic humor, and naughty bits.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 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
But Trump’s decision to take over the center was a statement less about its anachronistic reputation and more about the president’s conception of his own power.
—Jonathan L. Fischer, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
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
The jokes — good, bad and cheap — come non-stop in then show’s 90 minutes, and are filled and sometimes pummeled with pop culture and brand-name references, puns, anachronistic humor, and naughty bits.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 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
But Trump’s decision to take over the center was a statement less about its anachronistic reputation and more about the president’s conception of his own power.
—Jonathan L. Fischer, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anachronistic
Adjective
-
As horses on the battlefront became obsolete as technology (and tanks) advanced, American polo was left with a serious pipeline problem.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
7 May 2026
-
Change a single assumption about how quickly AI chips become obsolete, and cumulative spending swings by hundreds of billions of dollars.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Like des Esseintes’s inclination toward the antiquated, Carly’s taste for vintage kitsch runs retro-romantic.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
For years, the armies on the Western Front were immobilized by the combination of modern technology and antiquated tactics.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Many vintage fashion enthusiasts and Lilly Pulitzer collectors specifically seek out white label pieces for their classic prints, silhouettes, and legacy value.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Maison Bonnet — Need a pair of vintage sunglasses recreated?—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Crypto apps like Coinbase have begun to diversify into non-crypto assets, and more traditional retail finance apps like Robinhood have begun to dip their toes into areas like tokenized stocks.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
People are in the right conditions, so meetings are more meaningful than in a traditional market where everything is back-to-back.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That historical egotism fuelled their headiest ambitions.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Over the next 50 years, King authored more than 1,020 decisions and sentenced more than 6,000 defendants, according to historical archives.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, contains historic butterfly gardens and flora native to the Florida Keys, Cuba and the Caribbean.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
Set the scene In the heart of Center City, W Philadelphia adds a dash of style to the city’s historic landscape.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anachronistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anachronistic. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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