old

Having lived or existed for a long time.

• This is an old house.
• An old woman sat beside me.
• The oldest tree in the park has fallen.

Similar words: aged, elderly, ancient

Opposites: young, new

Common phrases: an old man, an old tree, an old building

Used with a number or question to say how long someone or something has existed.

• I am ten years old.
• How old is this building?
• Her baby was only two weeks old.

How to use it: be + number + years/months old (The baby is six months old.); how old + be + subject (How old is your dog?)

Common phrases: how old, years old, months old

Used, known, or connected with you in the past, but no longer.

• I miss my old school.
• She sent the letter to my old address.
• Was your old boss friendly?

Similar words: former, previous

Opposites: current, new

Common phrases: my old school, an old address, your old job, the old system

Kept so long that it is no longer fresh or may be unsafe to use.

• This bread is old and hard.
• She threw away the old milk.
• Don’t eat that old food from the fridge.

Similar words: stale, past its best

Opposites: fresh

Common phrases: old bread, old milk, old food

Older people considered together as a group, usually in the expression “the old”.

• The old need good healthcare.
• The festival brought together young and old.
• The charity provides meals for the old.

How to use it: the old + plural verb (The old are often affected by extreme heat.)

Similar words: older people, the elderly

Opposites: the young

Common phrases: the old, young and old, care for the old

A person older than you, especially an adult as seen by a teenager.

• The teenagers called him an old.
• The olds complained about the loud music.
• She joked that the party was full of olds.

Similar words: oldie, oldster, geezer

Common phrases: an old, the olds, some boring olds