Definition of archaicnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective archaic differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of archaic are ancient, antiquated, antique, obsolete, old, and venerable. While all these words mean "having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past," archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

When could ancient be used to replace archaic?

The meanings of ancient and archaic largely overlap; however, ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

In what contexts can antiquated take the place of archaic?

The words antiquated and archaic can be used in similar contexts, but 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 archaic?

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

collected antique Chippendale furniture

When is obsolete a more appropriate choice than archaic?

While in some cases nearly identical to archaic, 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 can old be used instead of archaic?

The words old and archaic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses
an old sweater of mine

Where would venerable be a reasonable alternative to archaic?

The synonyms venerable and archaic 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 archaic His department of justice brought back the firing squad on federal row in April of 2026; several states now also use what was once considered an archaic method. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026 As prominent Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe and conservative jurist Michael Luttig argued, the archaic law was dangerously flawed and fundamentally ripe for partisan exploitation. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 9 June 2026 The very details that make the genre come alive—the archaic syntax, the outfits, the feelings—are the ones that haven’t survived into the present day or that the writer made up. Literary Hub, 4 June 2026 The very details that make the genre come alive—the archaic syntax, the outfits, the feelings—are the ones that haven’t survived into the present day or that the writer made up. Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for archaic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archaic
Adjective
  • The professors were bitter and angry—angry at a university, a state, and a country where their fields of study were regarded as obsolete, useful only for padding the schedules of STEM students or as a backstop for STEM burnouts.
    Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • All devices will eventually become obsolete and be disposed of, but until such time, the connectivity models mean that almost all products are now IoT devices and require whole-life management.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • By wrapping antiquated infrastructure in agentic interfaces, these workers can unlock near-native operational efficiency without a risky, catastrophic core system overhaul.
    Barney Krishnan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • But what, exactly, is that robot doing watching fireworks next to a little boy and a man in antiquated garb?
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • Enter Peskesi and the dozens of regenerative and natural wineries scattered across the southwest of Crete near quiet, picturesque Chania, which form its wine trail, a range from medieval-palace tasting rooms to sprawling vineyard operations.
    Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2026
  • Not many estates can claim to have a 1,000-year-old medieval tower in the backyard, but that’s exactly what anchors this historic property in the heart of Tuscany’s renowned Chianti wine region.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • The museum uses Akrotiri as a point of reference for the life and culture of prehistoric Thira.
    Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • The fraught subject of the proper disposition of those human remains has taken on a new sensitivity — both for the prehistoric people’s Native American successors in Florida, and for the archaeologists and developers encountering them.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Archaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archaic. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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