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
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
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
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
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
By contrast, the prospect of citizenships and alliances—and perhaps conquests or crusades—structured around the opinions, beliefs, and subjective identities of ordinary people in times of peace would require a new (or very old) conception of empire.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Tony East, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The new season will see a fresh cast of three-to-five year olds spotlighted.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for old 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Adjective
The show skips across the decades, dramatizing the interviews an older Dolours (Maxine Peake) did for a Boston College oral history of the Troubles, which were taped with the promise that they would be released only after participants’ deaths.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
By contrast, the prospect of citizenships and alliances—and perhaps conquests or crusades—structured around the opinions, beliefs, and subjective identities of ordinary people in times of peace would require a new (or very old) conception of empire.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
The 21-year old averaged 3.7 points and 1.0 steals per game during exhibition play.
—Tony East, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The new season will see a fresh cast of three-to-five year olds spotlighted.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for old
Articles Related to old
Dictionary Entries Near old
Cite this Entry
“Old.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
old
1 of 2 adjective1
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
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