- comparative of old.
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
Synonym Usage
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.
I try to sleep as late as possible, but the older I get, the harder it is to actually sleep in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
IVF does improve these numbers somewhat, but the decline is still steep at older ages.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
Rew skippers a squad that includes his older brother, James.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
With many investors locked in place by the specter of big tax bills, fund companies can keep the fees on older ETFs high even as newer funds charge much less.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Sisters on either side, living in the hand-me-down boots and jackets of his older brothers, a stairstep in the parade of Dannenbergs tripping off to church on Sunday mornings in height-descending order.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
