as in ancient
dating or surviving from the distant past
hoary oak trees with dripping moss and gnarled limbs shaded us from the sun
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Recent Examples of hoary
And, yes, like other achievers of a darker hue, Harris has had to overcome the odds and obstacles thrown in her way, such as Conway’s hoary slur that Harris is lazy and doesn’t know how to speak.
—
Colbert I. King, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
And Williams is a hoary veteran next to his squad-mate Lamine Yamal, who has yet to turn seventeen.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 29 June 2024
Admittedly, there was less hoary public invocation of the doctrine, but attendance at the periodic summits remained de rigeur for the prime minister.
—Sumit Ganguly, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2016
This revival, despite some big rewrites by Harvey Fierstein, is still stuck around the sort of romantic cliches and hoary old body-image issues that most Broadway musicals strenuously avoid these days.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for hoary
Colbert I. King, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
And Williams is a hoary veteran next to his squad-mate Lamine Yamal, who has yet to turn seventeen.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 29 June 2024
Admittedly, there was less hoary public invocation of the doctrine, but attendance at the periodic summits remained de rigeur for the prime minister.
—Sumit Ganguly, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2016
This revival, despite some big rewrites by Harvey Fierstein, is still stuck around the sort of romantic cliches and hoary old body-image issues that most Broadway musicals strenuously avoid these days.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for hoary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoary
Adjective
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Researchers in London recently uncovered a 2,000-year-old structure that once served as the hub of the bustling ancient city.—
Greta Cross,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
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Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the plesiosaur is considered a successful marine predatory ancient species.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The venerable travel outfitter Abercrombie & Kent recently announced the launch of A&K Private Estates, a collection of five lavish villas located in some of Tuscany’s most picturesque towns.—
Passport by ForbesLife,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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The venerable late-night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year.—
Eric Berger,
Ars Technica,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Sam Nivola as Lochlan Ratliff: The high school senior, Timothy and Victoria's youngest, is pulled between following the life path of his older sister and brother while deciding his major life decision: Whether to go to Duke or the University of North Carolina.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
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Because that’s not how my experience or any of the older players’ experience with the Giants was.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Family heirlooms along with vintage and antique pieces played a huge role in the decor, from a child’s chair from Emily’s aunt and her grandmother’s clover lace to a 19th-century calico quilt and a collection of Ravi Varma prints.—
Sydney Gore,
Architectural Digest,
21 Feb. 2025
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Everything is made out of antique garments, not secondhand.—
Tianwei Zhang,
WWD,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Well, while Shrek 5 is set in a Far, Far Away, the feudal system and medieval garb suggests it’s loosely based around the 15th century, and probably in England.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2025
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The Magic Books: A History of Enchantment in 20 Medieval Manuscripts By Anne Lawrence-Mathers Yale University Press: 368 pages, $38 (March 11) Our medieval forebears saw nothing inconsistent between devout Christian faith and deep belief in magic.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoary. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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