The lady persisted in wearing such an old-fashioned shirt.
Source: tatoeba (46606)
Old-fashioned
/oʊldˈfæʃənd/
Synonyms for "old-fashioned" (218 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (44)
Adjective(24 words)
antiqueanalog traditionalistancient adjectiveancient architectureancient civilization discoveriesancient civilization timelinesancient codesancient eraancient languageancient peopleancient timesancientestantiquatedantiquedarchaic addressarchaic beliefarchaic englisharchaic featurearchaic formarchaic phrase
Show 4 more words
abandonedabjuredagedancientantiquatedantiquearchaicback numberback-numberbackwardbehind the timesbelated
Noun(7 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (65)
Adjective(28 words)
candescentcountry townsdateddated electronicsdated ideadated materialsdated practicedemodeearlier erasearly societyexfustiestgothic wato mythgothic wato narrativegothic wato palettegothic watoshepheppesthistorichistorical religious art
Show 8 more words
historical syntaxindustrial era factoriesliving fossilmedieval artifactmedieval lifemiddle agesmoral regressionmore conservative
Verb(1 words)
Related words (109)
Noun(13 words)
more romanesquemossbackmost medieval manuscriptold style designoutdated groupoutmoded idearattletrapretro trendschoolhousespinning wheeltraditional practicetraditional teachingvacuum-tube based
moss-grownmossymouldymustynarrow-mindedneanderthalnonprogressivenot worth savingobsolescentobsoleteoldold hatold lineold worldold-fogyishold-lineold-timeold-timeyold-worldoldfangled
Show 44 more words
on the shelfopposed to changeoutout of dateout of fashionout of seasonout of useout-of-dateoutdatedoutmodedoutwornpassepast usepensioned offprehistoricpreservativeprimaterelinquishedrenouncedresignedretiredright wingright-wingrococosedateslowsquarestalestandpatstodgystuffystylelesssuperannuatesuperannuatedsupersededtimetime-wornultraconservativeunfashionableunprogressivevictorianvintageworn outworn-out
Adjective(32 words)
mouldymustiestmustynoncontemporarynostalgicobsolete toolsold formold partold styleold-hatoldenoutdatedoutdated appliancesoutdated informationoutdated statusoutmodedpassepasseeprehistoricprissiest
Show 12 more words
quaintquainterquaintestretroretro fashionslatternlystodgiertraditionaltraditional cremationtraditional teaching tooltweediestvintage
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: antique, abandoned, abjured, age old, aged.
- Sentence evidence is available for old-fashioned, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "old-fashioned".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "old-fashioned"
Keep "old-fashioned" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "old-fashioned" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "old-fashioned", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "old-fashioned" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
1 entriesdescriptive term
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesold-fashioned classroomold-fashioned dressold-fashioned mannersold-fashioned methodsold-fashioned spellingold-fashioned values
Inflections
2 entriesmore old-fashionedmost old-fashioned
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
22 total sentences available.
When I called him right-wing, I mean that his thinking is old-fashioned.
Source: tatoeba (260907)
My father is a bit old-fashioned.
Source: tatoeba (319278)
Mother has old-fashioned ideas.
Source: tatoeba (320833)
Showing 4 of 22 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "old-fashioned"?
Closest matches include antique, abandoned, abjured, age old, aged.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "old-fashioned"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.