Synonyms for elderly
- adjective
- noun
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Geriatric — of an object, being old-fashioned or frail due to aging
white-haired, decrepit, superannuated, on in years, antique, venerable, time-worn, grey UK, gray US, hoary, dated, outworn, aald UK, old slang, geriatric slang
Noun
1. Older adult — an elderly person
Definitions
- adj. 1
Of an object, being old-fashioned or frail due to aging.
- adj. 2
old; having lived for relatively many years.
- n. 1
An elderly person.
He lives next door to an elderly.
Related words
- Word family
- elderliness
- Phrases
- elderly care
- Is a kind of
- old
Forms
- Plural
- elderlies → wrinklies…
Choose the right word
Elderly is applied to those who have passed middle life, but scarcely reached old age.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- decrepit I think that his uncle is a decrepit old man.
- elder You seem to have mistaken me for my elder brother.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| elderly | steady | |
| decrepit | rising | |
| superannuated | falling | |
| elder | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- old1
- 4 letters
- grey1, gray1, aged1, aald
- 5 letters
- older2, dated2, elder2, hoary2
- 6 letters
- senior2, ageful
- 7 letters
- antique2, wrinkly, outworn
- 8 letters
- decrepit3
- 9 letters
- venerable4, geriatric4
- 13 letters
- superannuated
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (older2 = 2 syllables).