aged
[adjective]
Synonyms: old, ancient, antiquated, antique, elderly, getting on, grey

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Antonyms: youthful
Contrasted words: juvenile, puerile
Related Idioms: along in years, getting on, getting on (or along) in years, gray with age, on one's last legs, stricken with years
Related Words: pensioned (off), retired, superannuated, senior, hoary, patriarchal, venerable, doddering, senescent, senile, tottery

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English Thesaurus: old, elderly, aging, aged, elder brother/sister, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. aged¹ W3 /eɪdʒd/ adjective
aged 5/25 etc 5 etc years old
aged 5/25 etc between
Police are looking for a man aged between 30 and 35.
The course is open to children aged 12 and over.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. a‧ged² /ˈeɪdʒəd, ˈeɪdʒɪd/ adjective

1. very old:
my aged parents

2. the aged [plural] old people:
the care of children and the aged

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

aged
adjective
1.
DUBIOUS: Not all aged parents have children to look after them.
GOOD: Not all elderly parents have children to look after them.

Usage Note:
When it means 'very old', aged is mainly used in formal styles, usually in the phrase the aged : 'The poor and the aged are entitled to free health care.'
The usual word for this meaning is elderly, which also sounds polite: 'The photograph was of an elderly gentleman with a white moustache.' 'The building has been converted into a retirement home for the elderly.'

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2.
BAD: My father left school at aged fourteen.
GOOD: My father left school at (the age of) fourteen.
BAD: At aged 45, farmers are able to retire.
GOOD: At (the age of) 45, farmers are able to retire.

Usage Note:
at (the age of ) + NUMBER: 'Alan got married at twenty.' 'Sue got divorced at the age of twenty-one.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

old having lived for a long time:
an old man
I’m too old to learn a new language.
elderly a polite word for old:
an elderly lady
a home for the elderly (=elderly people)
If you are elderly, you may be eligible for financial assistance.
aging (also ageing British English) [only before noun] becoming old:
an ageing rock star
the problems of an ageing population
aged /ˈeɪdʒəd, ˈeɪdʒɪd/ [only before noun] written aged relatives are very old:
aged parents
She had to look after her aged aunt.
elder brother/sister especially British English [only before noun] an older brother or sister. Elder sounds more formal than older:
I have two elder brothers.
ancient [not usually before noun] informal very old – used humorously:
I’ll be 30 next year – it sounds really ancient!
be getting on (in years) informal to be fairly old:
He’s 60 now, so he’s getting on a bit.
be over the hill (also be past it British English) informal to be too old to do something:
Everyone thinks you’re past it when you get to 40.
geriatric [only before noun] relating to medical care and treatment for old people:
a geriatric hospital
geriatric patients
antique antique furniture, clocks, jewellery etc are old and often valuable:
an antique writing desk
age-old used about traditions, problems, or situations that have existed for a very long time:
the age-old tradition of morris dancing
the age-old prejudice against women in positions of power
the age-old problem of nationalism
age-old hatreds between religious groups

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲