moth-eaten
adjective
moth-eat·en ˈmȯth-ˌē-tᵊn 
1
: eaten into by moth larvae
moth-eaten clothes
2
a
: dilapidated
b
: antiquated, outmoded
Synonyms
- antiquated
- archaic
- dated
- démodé
- demoded
- fossilized
- kaput
- kaputt
- medieval
- mediaeval
- moribund
- mossy
- neolithic
- Noachian
- obsolete
- out-of-date
- outdated
- outmoded
- outworn
- passé
- prehistoric
- prehistorical
- rusty
- Stone Age
- superannuated
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
moth-eaten
adjective
1
as in antiquated
having passed its time of use or usefulness moth-eaten scientific theories that no one's believed in ages Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- antiquated
- obsolete
- archaic
- medieval
- rusty
- old
- outworn
- prehistoric
- discarded
- superannuated
- dated
- outmoded
- fossilized
- antique
- outdated
- mossy
- defunct
- moribund
- useless
- expired
- ancient
- vintage
- neolithic
- passé
- out-of-date
- aging
- prehistorical
- démodé
- mediaeval
- kaput
- obsolescent
- disused
- dead
- historic
- historical
- retro
- kaputt
- venerable
- fusty
- unusable
- ageing
- musty
- aged
- demoded
- hoary
- extinct
- vanished
- Stone Age
- antediluvian
- late
- Noachian
- unworkable
- inert
- erstwhile
- past
- dormant
- former
- inoperable
- inoperative
- fallow
- idle
- latent
- free
- bygone
- inactive
- atavistic
- old-time
- dateless
- old-fashioned
- age-old
- oldfangled
- old-world
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- modern
- new
- contemporary
- ultramodern
- current
- recent
- newfangled
- fresh
- new-fashioned
- modernized
- mod
- functional
- present-day
- renewed
- operational
- refurbished
- up-to-date
- up-to-the-minute
- workable
- remodeled
- functioning
- operable
- operating
- operative
- employed
- active
- alive
- busy
2
as in dilapidated
showing signs of advanced wear and tear and neglect a man who's been wearing the same moth-eaten clothes for decades Synonyms & Similar Words
- dilapidated
- neglected
- tattered
- mangy
- tatty
- abandoned
- threadbare
- ratty
- scruffy
- shabby
- tumbledown
- ragged
- timeworn
- dumpy
- miserable
- tired
- tatterdemalion
- desolate
- scrubby
- down-at-heel
- beat-up
- seedy
- tacky
- grungy
- dog-eared
- ruined
- broken
- down-at-the-heels
- bombed-out
- sleazy
- damaged
- down-at-the-heel
- run-down
- decrepit
- gone to seed
- down-at-heels
- wrecked
- unkept
- dingy
- bedraggled
- mean
- decaying
- deteriorated
- godforsaken
- forlorn
- rickety
- ramshackle
- deteriorating
- worn-out
- destroyed
- broken-down
- rackety
- rattletrap
- injured
- hurt
- impaired
- harmed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- new
- fresh
- mended
- reconstructed
- brand-new
- patched
- maintained
- spiffy
- rebuilt
- kept-up
- spruce
- cared-for
- smart
3
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull an uncle who tells the same moth-eaten stories every Thanksgiving Synonyms & Similar Words
- stereotyped
- cliche
- tired
- hackneyed
- threadbare
- shopworn
- old
- musty
- timeworn
- commonplace
- obligatory
- cardboard
- cobwebby
- stale
- trite
- clichéd
- cliché
- hackney
- typical
- well-worn
- boring
- usual
- banal
- hack
- conventional
- tiring
- dusty
- dull
- standard
- derivative
- ordinary
- weary
- drab
- unimaginative
- normal
- uninspired
- heavy
- dry
- platitudinous
- imitative
- wearying
- canned
- leaden
- stodgy
- bromidic
- pedestrian
- stock
- unoriginal
- wearisome
- uninteresting
- rote
- prosaic
- tiresome
- arid
- vapid
- tame
- stuffy
- ready-made
- monotonous
- colorless
- barren
- jejune
- tedious
- dreary
- ponderous
- routine
- humdrum
- twice-told
- pedantic
- flat
- old hat
- drudging
- cookie-cutter
- numbing
- tried-and-true
- platitudinal
- jading
- undramatic
- old-fashioned
- ho-hum
- mind-numbing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- new
- original
- fresh
- novel
- unhackneyed
- enlivening
- exciting
- atypical
- strange
- stimulating
- interesting
- involving
- intriguing
- unfamiliar
- animating
- riveting
- engrossing
- gripping
- unusual
- absorbing
- galvanizing
- unknown
- energizing
- unaccustomed
- engaging
- invigorating
- unclichéd
- extraordinary
- uncommon
- unprecedented
- pioneering
- unheard-of
- pathbreaking
- trailblazing
- autogamous
- autogamy
- autogeneses
- autogenesis
- autogenetic
- autogenetic drainage
- autogenetically
- autogenic
- autogenic relaxation
- autogenic training
- autogenics
- autogenies
- autogenotype
- autogenous
- autogenous graft
- autogenous vaccine
- autogenously
- autogeny
- autogeosynclinal
- autogeosyncline
- autogestion
- autogiro
- autogiros
- autognostic
- autograft