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.
When Tamjidi told some older customers about the silent reading party, she said they were perplexed, asking, “Wait, so they would come and sit with each other, not talk, but just read silently?”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
Many of my patients are older and highly educated, typically in the fields of law, education, and economics, given our location.
From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026
However, other experts say differences in the way each drug works are important and it's unfair to group older experimental drugs with newer ones proven to work.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
WSJ | Buy Side: We did a comprehensive comparison to find the best pet insurance for older dogs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
They would even almost fight old Storm when he came too close to their circles, though it was very rare for young dogs to attack older, more respected ones.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
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.
