older

[ ohl-der ]
See synonyms for older on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. a comparative of old.

synonym study For older

Older, elder imply having greater age than something or someone else. Older is the usual form of the comparative of old: This building is older than that one. Elder, now greatly restricted in application, is used chiefly to indicate seniority in age as between any two people but especially priority of birth as between children born of the same parents: The elder brother became king.

Opposites for older

Words that may be confused with older

  • elder, older (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words Nearby older

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use older in a sentence

  • Of this older view much still survives, and much that is ennobling.

  • To Harry's surprise, the soldier detailed to go with him proved to be a boy, not much older than himself.

  • All religions, the Christian religion included, are adaptations or variants of older religions.

    God and my Neighbour | Robert Blatchford
  • I have an adopted sister, six years older than myself, who married twelve years ago.

    Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
  • Awe stole upon him; he felt himself included in the great ideal of this older day.

    The Wave | Algernon Blackwood

British Dictionary definitions for older

older

/ (ˈəʊldə) /


adjective
  1. the comparative of old

  2. having lived or existed longer; of greater age: Also (of people, esp members of the same family): elder

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012