ancients

noun

plural of ancient
as in elders
a person of advanced years ancients in the tribe are accorded great respect and valued for their wisdom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ancients The exhibit features several dozen dinosaur animatronics that fully loom and roar, and a virtual aquarium stocked with swimming ancients. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancients
  1. elders
  2. adults
Noun
  • One bathroom had no toilet seat and there was no lighting in a stairwell used by elders unsure of their footing.
    — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Although congregations have elders, families are the main conduit for ritual and belief.
    — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of elders
Noun
  • His case has remained pending while the other two adults charged with murder, Miller and Terry Young, ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser gun charges.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Much of the screen time communicating with other young people on the internet — some of the contacts are unknowingly mature adults — takes place late at night and into the wee morning hours.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of adults

Browse Nearby Words

ancientness
ancients
ancillary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ancients.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancients. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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