Obsolete

mediumNegative tone

ob-suh-LEET

adjective

Definition

No longer produced or used; out of date

Memory hook

OB-SO-LETE: 'Oh, SO last year!' - technology that's been completely replaced and forgotten.

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Word roots

obsolescereto fall into disuse(Latin)

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Examples

The technology became obsolete within a few years.
Fax machines are now largely obsolete.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

The technology became ______ within a few years.
Show answer

obsolete

Synonyms

outdatedantiquatedoutmodeddefunct

Antonyms

currentmoderncontemporarystate-of-the-art

Categories

View all Outdatedness words

GRE Tip

Obsolete is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "outdated" or "antiquated" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "current".

Read: How to Memorize GRE Words That Actually Stick

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