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Synonyms

antiquated

American  
[an-ti-kwey-tid] / ˈæn tɪˌkweɪ tɪd /

adjective

  1. continued from, resembling, or adhering to the past; old-fashioned.

    antiquated attitudes.

  2. no longer used; obsolete or obsolescent.

    The spinning wheel is an antiquated machine.

  3. aged; old.

    antiquated aunts and uncles.


antiquated British  
/ ˈæntɪˌkweɪtɪd /

adjective

  1. outmoded; obsolete

  2. aged; ancient

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See ancient 1.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of antiquated

First recorded in 1615–25; antiquate + -ed 2

Explanation

Something is antiquated when it is so old that it is no longer useful. If your parents believe that you shouldn't use the Internet when you write papers for school, you might call their ideas antiquated. Something is antiquated when it is so old, it's like an antique or recognizable from another era and has the negative feel of being thoroughly outmoded. Things like typewriters, sealing wax for letters, and ideas of proper etiquette all seem antiquated in modern society. Currently, things get antiquated ever faster — 5-inch floppy disks for computers and dial-up modems were very modern fifteen years ago, but now they're antiquated.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing antiquated

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So what’s the catalyst for his noteworthy preoccupation with masculinity and all these archetypal characters who embody its antiquated themes?

From Salon • May 27, 2026

The funding mechanisms are complicated, the language antiquated and much about the income remains under a padlock of privacy.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Sitting on a worn wooden chair in the garden on a cool Tuesday afternoon, Chambers, 43, a professional glass and metalsmith, reflected on his antiquated strain of craftsmanship.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

“I was shocked to see such an antiquated model,” said Irisov, who has since defected and relocated to the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Maya’s parents, because they weren’t antiquated dinosaurs, didn’t care that she was gay.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

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