Our policies and systems are getting outdated and need revising, but to try to swap horses while crossing a stream might be dangerous.
Source: tatoeba (28879)
Outdated
/aʊtˈdeɪtɪd/
Synonyms for "outdated" (153 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (31)
Adjective(19 words)
obsoleteanachronisticancientancient civilizationancient codesancient constructionancient eraancient historyancient history curriculaancient history syllabusancient legal codeancient manuscriptancient peopleancient personancient remainsancient romearchaic addressarchaic wordbackward
Noun(3 words)
age oldancient artifactsancient past
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (46)
Adjective(21 words)
behind the timescreakydateddated electronicsdated ideadated materialsdated practicedead systemdead systemsdecrepitdemodedeprecateddiscarded ideadustierdustiesteducational stagnationexpiredfossil-likemedievalmedieval kingdom
Show 1 more word
medieval term
Verb(5 words)
Determiner(1 words)
most ancient ruins
Related words (76)
not worth savingobsolescentobsoleteoldold hatold-fashionedold-timeyoldfangledon the shelfoutout of dateout of fashionout of seasonout of useout-of-dateoutmodedoutwornpast usepensioned offprimate
Adjective(27 words)
obsolete ideaobsolete methodobsolete termobsolete toolsold classificationold dataold fashionedold kingdom phase labelingold methodsold partold powderold-fashionedoldest kingdomout-of-dateoutmodedpasséprehistoricprehistoric animalsprehistoric society toolsprevious
Show 7 more words
Noun(10 words)
octogenarianoutmoded ideaphased outprehistoric erarattletrapspeech impairedstone agesuperannuatingsuperseded texttranssexual
Adjective(1 words)
Adverb(1 words)
prehistorically remote contexts
Pronoun(1 words)
thou art variant
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: obsolete, abandoned, abjured, age old, anachronistic.
- Sentence evidence is available for outdated, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.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- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "outdated".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "outdated"
Keep "outdated" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording.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 "outdated" 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 "outdated", 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 "outdated" 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
2 entriesMore specific
7 entriesCollocations
5 entriesoutdated curriculumoutdated dataoutdated informationoutdated mapoutdated technology
Inflections
2 entriesmore outdatedmost outdated
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
10 translations across 7 languages.
Georgian
2 entries- ძალადაკარგული adj (superseded)
- ხმარებიდან გამოსული adj (superseded)
Greek
1 entries- απαρχαιωμένος adj (superseded)
Italian
2 entries- non aggiornato adj (superseded)
- superato adj (superseded)
Māori
1 entries- tūnguru adj (superseded)
Portuguese
1 entries- desatualizado adj (superseded)
Russian
2 entries- устаре́вший adj (superseded)
- устаре́лый adj (superseded)
Ukrainian
1 entries- застарілий adj (superseded)
Sample sentences
13 total sentences available.
The legislators of that state did away with outdated laws.
Source: tatoeba (46715)
The computer was so outdated that it was good for nothing.
Source: tatoeba (50355)
It's about time we did away with this outdated law.
Source: tatoeba (54664)
Showing 4 of 13 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "outdated"?
Closest matches include obsolete, abandoned, abjured, age old, anachronistic.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "outdated"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.