dated
Americanadjective
-
having or showing a date.
a dated record of all meetings.
-
out-of-date; old-fashioned.
a nostalgic program of dated songs.
- Synonyms:
- unfashionable, passé, outmoded
adjective
-
unfashionable; outmoded
dated clothes
-
(of a security) having a fixed date for redemption
Other Word Forms
- datedly adverb
- datedness noun
- undated adjective
Etymology
Origin of dated
Explanation
Something that's dated is very obviously old-fashioned or out of style. Your grandmother's expectation that you send her a written thank-you note whenever she gives you a gift might seem a little dated to you. Some people can wear thrift shop clothes from the 1980s and look stylish, while others just look dated. And while some movies are still funny even years after they're released, the jokes in others just seem dated. This word meaning "old-fashioned" has been around since the turn of the 20th century, from date, which means both "to mark with a date" and also "to mark as old-fashioned."
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.
Peinado said his investigation had found sufficient indications of criminal conduct by Gomez, 55, according to a ruling dated April 11 that was made public on Monday.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
The black-and-white photo is as dated as it is iconic.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
The response, dated 20 January, said bedding and clothing would now be managed centrally, instead of being delegated to each wing.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Female professionals and club members alike have described women’s locker rooms as smaller, dated or less predominantly situated than other facilities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
From the written evidence of Newton’s own papers that can be dated, there is nothing about the Moon in the work on gravity he carried out in the plague years.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
