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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Example Sentences
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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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Designed with geometric forms that evoke the pyramids in the backdrop, the museum invites visitors to journey through ancient Egypt’s 3,000-year history, starting with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 B.C. and ending with the Roman conquest in 30 B.C.—
Kate McMahon,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Jan. 2025
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Historians have argued that similar helmets were worn by ancient warriors of many Greek city-states.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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There are also examples of antique pearl necklaces and brooches, showing the meticulous craftsmanship required to create these timeless treasures, from the Belle Époque to today.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
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The fragrant marinade of soy sauce, star anise, and cinnamon infuses the yolks with a satisfying salty-sweet flavor and gives the whites an antique, marbled appearance.—
Megan Zhang,
Saveur,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Thesaurus Entries Near hoary
Cite this Entry
“Hoary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoary. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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