Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective archaic differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of archaic are ancient, antiquated, antique, obsolete, old, and venerable. While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

When could ancient be used to replace archaic?

The meanings of ancient and archaic largely overlap; however, ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

In what contexts can antiquated take the place of archaic?

The words antiquated and archaic can be used in similar contexts, but antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

When is it sensible to use antique instead of archaic?

Although the words antique and archaic have much in common, antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.

collected antique Chippendale furniture

When is obsolete a more appropriate choice than archaic?

While in some cases nearly identical to archaic, 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

When can old be used instead of archaic?

The words old and archaic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses
an old sweater of mine

Where would venerable be a reasonable alternative to archaic?

The synonyms venerable and archaic are sometimes interchangeable, but venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

the family's venerable patriarch

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of archaic It’s said that the water used to make the chewy rice noodle comes from the archaic Ba Le well and that its brown color comes from a lye solution made from the ash of a specific type of tree found on the Cham Islands just off the coast. Christina Liao, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024 The culture developed from the archaic people of the Everglades region who had inhabited the area for thousands of years. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024 This leads him to suspect that his host is a Nosferatu, which is believed to be an archaic Romanian word for vampire. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 23 Dec. 2024 Or will ageism and archaic conventions waste that potential? Jonathan Rauch, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for archaic 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archaic
Adjective
  • Though the field was getting crowded with other companies and his original product was now antiquated, Hancock felt there was still plenty of room for innovation.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
  • The movie was not selected by the antiquated process for Best International Feature Film by India (who went with Laapataa Ladies) or France (Emilia Pérez).
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • New industries emerged, new roles were created, and while some jobs became obsolete, new opportunities arose.
    Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
  • Shredders undoubtedly provide the most energy-efficient and environmentally responsible method to supply large volumes of obsolete metal as a raw material for the manufacture of new products.
    Steve Joseph, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Snaking through 10 countries and four capital cities (Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade) before emptying into the Black Sea—the Danube is the second-longest river in Europe, gliding past lush vineyards, medieval fortresses, and fairytale castles that have stood the test of time.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
  • The novel takes place in a fantastical version of the medieval Islamic world, specifically on the Indian Ocean, where the titular captain, Amina, once helmed her own ship and crew.
    Vanessa Armstrong, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Does the music industry instantly revert to the prehistoric epoch of 2017—will Snapchat become the hottest major label scouting ground?
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The objects were removed from the site before the start of construction during two years of careful digging and include prehistoric tools and other artifacts made by human hands, as well as exceedingly rare and well-preserved animal and plant remnants.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near archaic

Cite this Entry

“Archaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archaic. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on archaic

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