ELDERLY Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

elderly

adjective

ˈel-dər-lē

Definition of elderly

as in older

being of advanced years and especially past middle age elderly people who stay active are usually the healthiest and the happiest

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 elderly Fighters from the Islamic State in Sahel Province, or ISSP, attacked on Sunday night into Monday morning and casualties included children and elderly, Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Tuareg leader and member of the National Transitional Council, said. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 Hybrid pic shot over several years in which a child, Germán, lives isolate in a village, surrounded by adults and elderly people. — Annika Pham, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 Two people have been accused of carjacking an elderly woman at an Independence park, then leading police on a chase with a baby inside the vehicle on Saturday. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026 Then mines started to close and unemployment rose, and its owner, an elderly Italian named Netta Cavalli, was beaten in her shop and died soon after. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elderly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elderly

Adjective

There’s a reason it hasn’t been licensed for use as an anti-aging drug.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
The global market for anti-aging products — including anti-wrinkle creams, plastic surgery and hair restoration — was nearly $78 billion in 2025, according to a study by Precedence Research.

— Tom Roland, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of aging

Adjective

An album-length EP by the 20-year-old producer is a dizzying and boundless collage of collages, using free-jazz logic and digital overload to chart new emotional terrain.

— Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and supporter of Bolsonaro, said another Lula government would harm the economy.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of old

Browse Nearby Words

elderliness

elderly

elders

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elderly. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of elderly

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on elderly

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes