Hoary
hardNeutral toneHOR-ee
adjective
Definition
Gray or white with age; old and trite
Memory hook
HOAR-Y: white-haired (hoar = gray/white) — ancient, old, or overused with age.
Examples
“The professor told hoary jokes that students had heard countless times.”
“The hoary traditions of the institution dated back centuries.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The professor told ______ jokes that students had heard countless times.”
Show answer
hoary
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Hoary is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "ancient" or "venerable" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "new".
Related GRE Words
antediluvian
Of or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood; ridiculously old-fashioned
archaic
Very old or old-fashioned; from an earlier period
anachronistic
Belonging to a period other than that being portrayed; out of place in time
primordial
Existing at or from the beginning of time; primeval
hackneyed
Lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite
obsolete
No longer produced or used; out of date
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