Synonyms for olden
ˈoʊl dənold·en

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. olden

   That is termed old which has existed long, or which existed long ago. Ancient, from the Latin, through the French, is the more stately, old, from the Saxon, the more familiar word. Familiarity, on one side, is near to contempt; thus we say, an old coat, an old hat. On the other hand, familiarity is akin to tenderness, and thus old is a word of endearment; as, "the old homestead," the "old oaken bucket." "Tell me the old, old story!" has been sung feelingly by millions; "tell me that ancient story" would remove it out of all touch of human sympathy. Olden is a statelier form of old, and is applied almost exclusively to time, not to places, buildings, persons, etc. As regards periods of time, the familiar are also the near; thus, the old times are not too far away for familiar thought and reference; the olden times are more remote, ancient times still further removed. Gray, hoary, and moldering refer to outward and visible tokens of age. Aged applies chiefly to long-extended human life. Decrepit, gray, and hoary refer to the effects of age on the body exclusively; senile upon the mind also; as, a decrepit frame, senile garrulousness. One may be aged and neither decrepit nor senile. Elderly is applied to those who have passed middle life, but scarcely reached old age. Remote (Latin re, back or away, and moveo, move), primarily refers to space, but is extended to that which is far off in time; as, at some remote period. Venerable expresses the involuntary reverence that we yield to the majestic and long-enduring, whether in the material world or in human life and character. Compare ANTIQUE; OBSOLETE; PRIMEVAL.

   Compare synonyms for NEW; YOUTHFUL.

   Synonyms:
   aged, ancient, antiquated, antique, decrepit, elderly, gray, hoary, immemorial, old, patriarchal, remote, senile, time-honored, time-worn, venerable

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. oldenadjective

   long past

   "olden days"

   Antonyms:
   future, present(a)

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:4.5 / 2 votes

1. oldenadjective

   Synonyms:
   [Rare.] ancient, old, not modern

How to pronounce olden?

How to say olden in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use olden in a sentence?

1. Arthur Caplan:

   This reminds me of the olden days when people didn't want to care for HIV patients.

2. Tom Hanks:

   You are the chosen ones because of a fate unimagined when you began your Wright State University adventures, you started in the olden times, in a world back before the Great Pandemic of 2020. You will talk of those earlier years in your lives in just that way.

3. Edward Hoagland:

   Animals used to provide a lowlife way to kill and get away with it, as they do still, but, more intriguingly, for some people they are an aperture through which wounds drain. The scapegoat of olden times, driven off for the bystanders sins, has become a tender thing, a running injury. There, running away is me: hurt it and you are hurting me.