Synonyms of elderly
111 similar words · 1 opposite word
Another word for elderly is old-fashioned. Other synonyms of elderly are unemployed, defunct, idle, outmoded and primitive. The opposite of elderly is young.
Synonyms and similar words for elderly
adjectiveOld; having lived for relatively many years.
adjectiveOf an object, being old-fashioned or frail due to aging.
- dated
- outworn
- decrepitWeakened or worn out from age or wear.
- timeworn
- anachronisticErroneous in date; containing an anachronism; in a wrong time; not applicable to or not appropriate for the time.
- antediluvianOf attitudes, ideas, etc.: extremely old-fashioned, especially to a laughable extent; antiquated.
- antiquatedOld-fashioned, out of date.
- antique
- archaic
- backwardLacking progressive or enlightened thought; outdated.
- backwardsSynonym of backward; see usage notes there.
- behind the timesOut of date; old-fashioned; obsolete; outmoded; outdated.
- cobwebbed figuratively
- cobwebby figuratively
- defunctNo longer in use or active, nor expected to be again.
- desueteDisused; out of use.
- discontinued
- disusedNo longer in use.
- dootsie UK, dialectal
- extinctOf customs, ideas, laws and legal rights, offices, organizations, languages, etc.: no longer existing or in use...
- expired
- fossilized
- HavishamesqueStuck in the past; also, refusing to accept change or failure.
- hoary figurativelyWhite or grey with age.
- idleNot engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing in particular.
- Miss HavishamesqueSynonym of Havishamesque.
- mouldy figurativelyShowing signs of neglect; disused.
- obsolete
- oldfangledOld-fashioned.
- old-fashionedOf an object, outdated or no longer in vogue.
- old schoolNow often old-school: characteristic of a method for accomplishing a task, a style, or a way of thinking that was...
- outdated
- outmodedUnfashionable.
- out of date
- out of fashionUnfashionable, not in fashion.
- parachronisticBelonging to an earlier time; too old to be used; primitive; out of date.
- passé
- primitiveCrude, obsolete.
- superannuatedObsolete, antiquated.
- superseded
- unemployedHaving no use, not doing work.
- unoccupied
- venerableAncient, antiquated or archaic.
- workless
- clapped out Australia, IrelandExhausted, worn out.
- damagedThat has suffered damage.
- defective
- deteriorated
- dilapidatedHaving fallen into a state of disrepair or deterioration, especially through neglect.
- faulty
- munted Australia, slang
- past it
- past one's primeNo longer in an ideal condition.
- raddledWorn-out and broken-down.
- ragged
- ravaged
- rinky-dink US, informalOld-fashioned, tired; also, shabby, worn-out.
- rough
- shabby
- staleNo longer nubile or suitable for marriage; past one's prime.
- tired
- unimproved
- wasted
- weakenedReduced; made less strong.
- wrecked
- wrecksomeMarked by a wreck or wreckage; resembling something that has been wrecked; banged up.
- worn
- worn-out
- worsened
- antediluvial rareAntiquated.
- effete obsolete
nounOlder people as a whole.
- agedOld people, collectively.
nounAn elderly person.
- seniorAn old person.
- ager euphemisticOne who is aging; an elderly person.
- badge-cove
- cheeser slang
- coffin dodger derogatory, humorousAn elderly person, a person near death, or adept at avoiding death.
- crinkly derogatoryAn old person.
- geriatric slangAn old person.
- genarianAn elderly person, especially one over the age of 60.
- geezer US
- grayhead USA person with gray hair; an elderly person.
- greyhead UK
- mzeeAn elder (old person).
- no spring chicken
- old timer
- old-timerAn elder.
- oldtimerAn elderly person.
- older adult euphemisticAn old person: especially, one aged 65 years or older.
- oldieSomething or someone old.
- oldsterSomeone who is old.
- senior citizenAn elderly person, variously considered to be a person over fifty, fifty-five, sixty, or sixty-five years of age.
- silver top slangAn old person.
- twirly UK, derogatoryAn old age pensioner or other elderly person, especially one using public transport.
- weazen figurativelyAn old person.
- wrinklyAn old person.
- eld archaic, poeticOld age, senility; an old person.
- hoarhead obsolete, poeticAn old person with grey hair.
adjectiveMore synonyms
- gerontologic informalSynonym of gerontological.
- gerontological informalOf or pertaining to gerontology.
- long in the toothOld; aged.
- matured
- of a certain age euphemisticMiddle-aged or older.
- old as Methuselah
- on in years euphemisticOld; advanced in age.
- over the hillOf a person, old, past the prime of life.
- ivy-covered UK
- preserved US
- wintryAged, white-haired.
Opposite of elderly
adjectiveMore antonyms
Meaning of elderly
- adjective Old; having lived for relatively many years.
- adjective Of an object, being old-fashioned or frail due to aging.
- noun Older people as a whole.
elderly in other languages
Questions about synonyms of elderly
- What is another word for elderly?
- Elderly has 111 synonyms on Word.ws, such as old-fashioned, unemployed, defunct, idle, outmoded, primitive, venerable and wintry.
- What is the opposite of elderly?
- The opposite of elderly is young.
- What does elderly mean?
- Elderly means old; having lived for relatively many years.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: elderly (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of elderly.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/elderly. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.