ripe old age

Idioms  

1. An age advanced in years, as in I expect to live to a ripe old age. The adjective ripe here means “fully developed physically and mentally,” but the current use of the idiom usually just signifies a long lifespan. [Second half of 1300s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ripe old age

Frank Epperson accidentally hit upon his innovation at the ripe old age of 11.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026

At the ripe old age of 67, the Grammy Awards are still considered "music's biggest night".

From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026

At the ripe old age of 24, I’ve remained faithful to my plastic Nalgene bottle, a brand that has seen its own surges in popularity, for more than five years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

Q: My grandmother lived to the ripe old age of 99.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 7, 2023

She lived to a ripe old age and even at the end she would frequently speak of him in conversation or tell stories about his headstrong ways to my children.

From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier