el·der·ly
ˈel-dər-lē 
1
a
: rather old
especially
: being past middle age
b
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of later life or elderly persons
elderliness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of elderly in a Sentence
Adjective
The program is intended to provide medical care for elderly people.
elderly people who stay active are usually the healthiest and the happiest
Recent Examples on the Web
The Indianapolis Star, 18 Apr. 2024
Eric Hovde in no way suggested that elderly people should not have the right to vote.
—Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
In the video shot for CNN, an elderly woman named Um Mohammad walks along the road carrying a heavy bag on her head and two others in her arms, attempting to reach her home.
—Mohammad Al-Sawalhi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Richie stars in the remake of the 1991 classic, which starred Christina Applegate as a teen who fakes her way into a job at a fashion company when her mom (Concetta Tomei) takes off on vacation, leaving her kids behind with an elderly babysitter who then dies.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
These qualities are also evident in the weak handling of the bucolic Gloucestershire scenes with elderly Shallow and Silence.
—David Benedict, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Calipari was seen in Lexington walking his elderly dog in his neighborhood Monday afternoon and had a brief exchange with a reporter from television station WKYT.
—Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 9 Apr. 2024
There is a significant portion of the population who can’t afford to retire, and poverty among elderly Americans has been on the rise.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
For elderly Gazans whose lifetimes have been punctuated by war, the latest fighting has compounded years of suffering under partial blockade.
—Mohammad Al Sawalhi, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
Adjective
But the issue has picked up little traction in post-pandemic Indiana, where recent legislative efforts to release even a fraction of elderly and gravely sick or disabled prisoners have failed.
—The Indianapolis Star, 18 Apr. 2024
Eric Hovde in no way suggested that elderly people should not have the right to vote.
—Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
In the video shot for CNN, an elderly woman named Um Mohammad walks along the road carrying a heavy bag on her head and two others in her arms, attempting to reach her home.
—Mohammad Al-Sawalhi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Richie stars in the remake of the 1991 classic, which starred Christina Applegate as a teen who fakes her way into a job at a fashion company when her mom (Concetta Tomei) takes off on vacation, leaving her kids behind with an elderly babysitter who then dies.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024
These qualities are also evident in the weak handling of the bucolic Gloucestershire scenes with elderly Shallow and Silence.
—David Benedict, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Calipari was seen in Lexington walking his elderly dog in his neighborhood Monday afternoon and had a brief exchange with a reporter from television station WKYT.
—Bob Holt, arkansasonline.com, 9 Apr. 2024
There is a significant portion of the population who can’t afford to retire, and poverty among elderly Americans has been on the rise.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
For elderly Gazans whose lifetimes have been punctuated by war, the latest fighting has compounded years of suffering under partial blockade.
—Mohammad Al Sawalhi, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elderly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near elderly
Cite this Entry
“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elderly. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share