1
as in venerable
dating or surviving from the distant past
Rome's ancient ruins remain carefully preserved even in the midst of the bustle of the modern city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in older
being of advanced years and especially past middle age
used to think that age 40 was ancient until I turned 40 myself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in primitive
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
the ancient Inca built a vast network of roads
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in elder
a person of advanced years
ancients in the tribe are accorded great respect and valued for their wisdom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ancient
Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2025
What caused the decline of ancient Alexandria? For centuries, historians have pinned the decline of Alexandra’s most important historical sites on its Arab conquerors: the Persians in 616 C.E., then ‘Amr ibn al-ʿĀṣ in 642.
—Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ancient
Adjective
Using this ratio to calculate the ages of crystals within different layers of ancient rock, the researchers determined how the rock grew or eroded over time.
—Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2025
What caused the decline of ancient Alexandria? For centuries, historians have pinned the decline of Alexandra’s most important historical sites on its Arab conquerors: the Persians in 616 C.E., then ‘Amr ibn al-ʿĀṣ in 642.
—Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
Read More: These 5 Ancient Civilizations Treasured Their Pets
Coping with Critters
The discovery of archeological remains has helped scientists better understand how ancients coped with bothersome critters.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for ancient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancient
Adjective
-
Dolphins venerable veteran Calais Campbell told an NFL reporter that he was also detained while trying to deescalate the situation.—
David J. Neal and,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The movie’s exotic title is the name of a peculiar and venerable pitch, a high-arcing floater that seems easy to hit but instead may tantalize batters.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 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
-
There's a child, someone middle-aged, and an elder in the painting.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
25 Feb. 2025
-
With its local connection and timely message of turning a listening ear to elders, the film’s screening—happening Saturday, February 22—is already sold out.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Stores like Washburn Imports, AT Furniture & Antiques, Echoes of Retro, Diversion, Out of the Closet Orlando, and Bamboo & Foo all make up the dense collection of vintage clothing, furniture, and antique stores in this neighborhood.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2025
-
The vintage and antique dealers exhibiting at the TEFAF Maastricht art fair represent dealers and galleries throughout Europe and the United States.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Those under 51 inches must have someone 14 years old or older accompanying them.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Every year in the US, there are approximately 35,000 ER visits due to unintentional medication overdoses among children under 5 years old.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The prehistoric markings were found in White Sands National Park by a team from Bournemouth University.—
Tessa Solomon for ARTnews,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Inside the Jardin des Tuileries and in time to Robert Wilson’s choreography, models walked beneath a prehistoric flying bird and enormous boulders descended from the ceiling, over hot lava projected onto the ground, and around icebergs emerging from the floor.—
Arden Fanning Andrews,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Just this week, a charter school in south Chicago informed parents that an adult was detained by federal immigration officers while dropping off children.—
Anna Giaritelli,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
1 Mar. 2025
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Still, he’s racked with guilt over falling short as the only adult in the group.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancient. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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