older
Americanadjective
adjective
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the comparative of old
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Also (of people, esp members of the same family): elder. having lived or existed longer; of greater age
Related Words
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.
Explanation
An older person is a senior citizen or someone who's been around long enough that they're not considered "young." If you want to check out some older people, take part in the early bird special at your local diner. You can use the adjective older to describe elderly folks (like your older neighbors who don't drive at night any more) or a person who was born first: "Her older sister was much bossier than her younger sister." You can also use older to talk about things that have been around longer, like older songs or older cars, as opposed to newer things.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Older residents who need mobility aids such as walkers or wheelchairs are left without options to traverse their own neighborhoods because of the broken sidewalks, she told The Times afterward.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Older children, usually from seven upwards, can feel isolated or "quite jealous" of peers who haven't experienced loss, and grief can deepen as understanding grows, Sadie added.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Older generations always think younger ones are reckless, whether it’s physical risks like riding a motorcycle or financial ones like day trading leveraged ETFs.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Older mice that received the restored microbiome had suppressed MDM2 levels that more closely resembled those seen in younger animals.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2026
It smells like a wood fire outside, which means Old Joe and Older Joe are probably burning brush on the farm.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
