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Synonyms

old-line

American  
[ohld-lahyn] / ˈoʊldˈlaɪn /

adjective

  1. following or supporting conservative or traditional ideas, beliefs, customs, etc.

  2. long established; traditional.

    old-line society.


old-line British  

adjective

  1. conservative; old-fashioned

  2. well-established; traditional

"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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of old-line

First recorded in 1855–60


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.

See Examples For:

But for old-line food makers like Campbell’s, getting any sales growth is so hard that gains can be measured in millimeters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026

Many dividend paying companies are in old-line, hard-hat industries such as industrials and materials.

From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026

With independent studios facing challenges finding tenants to rent their sound stages and services, old-line studio titans such as Warner Bros.,

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2026

“Cyclical stocks have greatly underperformed this year, but with job losses mounting, during the months ahead, even the Mag7 may not be able to keep pace with old-line CYCLICALS!” says Paulsen.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 7, 2025

What the old-line firms also did not do was involve themselves in hostile corporate takeovers.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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