outmoded
Americanadjective
-
gone out of style; no longer fashionable.
outmoded styles.
- Synonyms:
- old-fashioned, dated, unfashionable
-
not acceptable by present standards; no longer usable; obsolete.
outmoded dwellings; outmoded teaching methods.
adjective
-
no longer fashionable or widely accepted
-
no longer practical or usable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of outmoded
Explanation
Something that is outmoded is no longer cool or in style, like your dad's outmoded hairstyle that he's had since he was in high school. The French are known for their sense of fashion and style, so it's no surprise that they coined the word démodé to describe things that are no longer cool. De- means "out, off, away" and mode means "fashion." The English word outmoded is simply a translation of démodé: "out of fashion" or "out of style."
Vocabulary lists containing outmoded
A Raisin in the Sun
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Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
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167 Vocabulary words from the Supreme Court's DOMA Decision
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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.
At the same time, Xi had to contend with an outmoded command structure that was seen as susceptible to corruption and ill-equipped to fight modern wars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026
Traditional moviegoing is outmoded for most people, he said at a Time magazine event this year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025
Those institutions of democracy that fill Americans with so much outmoded pride served as inspirations to the world; that much is true.
From Salon • Sep. 21, 2025
The chips also are outmoded for some AI applications compared to the company’s top-of-the-line Blackwell series, which are still subject to a U.S. export ban.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025
Matthias decided the peculiar hare was either slightly mad or tipsy, but his outmoded manner was certainly friendly.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
