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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ancient differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ancient are antiquated, antique, archaic, obsolete, old, and venerable. While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

When can antiquated be used instead of ancient?

The meanings of antiquated and ancient largely overlap; however, 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 ancient?

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

collected antique Chippendale furniture

When could archaic be used to replace ancient?

The words archaic and ancient are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

When is obsolete a more appropriate choice than ancient?

While the synonyms obsolete and ancient are close in meaning, 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 would old be a good substitute for ancient?

The words old and ancient can be used in similar contexts, but old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses
an old sweater of mine

When might venerable be a better fit than ancient?

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

the family's venerable patriarch

Example 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 ancient
Adjective
One particular find — a bright blue chunk — caught their attention and turned out to be a rare ancient material. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2025 As well as this, the southern highlands are ancient, cratered and magnetized, dating back to a time when Mars had a global magnetic field. Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
No full moons, no silver bullets, no ancients curses and the like, just a title card at the beginning of the film stating that wolf man sightings have been a phenomenon since indigenious peoples ruled the Americas. Scott Phillips, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025 Halfway down the Aegean coast, Smyrna, as Asia Minor ancients called it, was where East met West as an economic and cultural synapse at the end of the Silk Road. Alex Crevar, New York Times, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for ancient 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancient
Adjective
  • As Black pitchers are modestly represented in the venerable plaque gallery, most of their enshrinements have come through various iterations of the Veterans Committee and two Special Committees on the Negro Leagues.
    Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Haunted Mansion at 50: Decades of delays and distractions nearly derailed Disneyland’s venerable dark ride The old Black Widow Bride, known as Constance Hatchway, showed up in wedding portraits with a series of husbands who lost their heads in the Haunted Mansion attic scene.
    Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.
    Joseph J. Kolb, Fox News, 18 July 2017
  • Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.
    OregonLive.com, OregonLive.com, 12 July 2017
Noun
  • Therefore the products offered to their parents’ generation is not suitable for this generation of elders.
    Sara Zeff Geber, PhD, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
  • On New Year's Eve, families often join together for dinner as people offer sacrifices to ancestors and pay respect to their elders.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The frame is crafted with sturdy steel hardware and finished with an antique bronze powder accent.
    Maggie Horton, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Across two floors, the gallery showcases contemporary works, including glass pieces by Philipp Weber, alongside its unique collection of antique art, furniture, decor, and photography, attracting discerning art collectors and curators from across the globe.
    Monica Mendal, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Women and adults younger than 45 are more likely than men and older adults to say that moderate drinking is bad for health, as were Democrats and independents.
    Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
  • That policy is so old that Chapman remembers it from his rookie year in the NYPD as a young patrolman in East Harlem in 1968.
    Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But evidence of when prehistoric people started eating meat has been difficult to find.
    Hatty Willmoth, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • These prehistoric people most closely followed a Mediterranean-like diet.
    Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • This new definition, published January 14 in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, could shift the paradigm of clinical care for the 890 million adults worldwide who are currently considered to have obesity.
    Faye Chiu, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
  • There will even be some fun cocktails on offer for adults like the Year of The Snake margarita, which can be found at Lucky 8 Lantern.
    Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The 47th Central Florida Scottish Highland Games lands at Central Winds Park in Winter Springs this weekend with pipers, dancing, animals, artisan craft vendors, axe throwing, archery, a medieval camp, children’s activities, food and drinks, Highland athletics and more.
    Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2025
  • In 2018, Vox commissioned me to write a story about medieval Catholic ideas and the radical transformation of American politics that had vaulted Donald Trump to the presidency.
    Peter H. Schwartz, Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near ancient

Cite this Entry

“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancient. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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