old-school

1 of 2

adjective

ˈōl(d)-ˌskül How to pronounce old-school (audio)
Synonyms of old-schoolnext
1
: adhering to traditional policies or practices
an old-school coach
2
: characteristic or evocative of an earlier or original style, manner, or form
old-school music

old school

2 of 2

noun

: adherents of traditional policies and practices

Synonyms of old-school

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Adjective

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Examples of old-school in a Sentence

Adjective an old-school romantic comedy in which the two leads don't jump into bed at the first opportunity an old-school gentleman who opened doors and pulled out chairs for women
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Imagine the Patriots in red playing a game in Boston, or the Cowboys in their old-school blue in the Cotton Bowl, or Minnesota in purple pants playing outdoors with both teams on the same sidelines (look it up, that used to happen). — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Purists will scoff at the way that most of the old-school cast is dispatched en masse instead of by the traditional one-kill-scene-at-a-time method. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 Visitors waited patiently for a chance to see the now-trending space in person, a sign that social media had introduced this old-school analogue world to a digitally native audience. — Zoey Goto, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026 Noah Segan’s feature directorial debut is an unapologetic love letter to the city, starring John Turturro as an aging thief whose old-school tactics become less effective in an age of two-factor authentication. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for old-school

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of old-school was in 1749

Rhymes for old-school

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Browse Nearby Words

Old Scandinavian
old-school
old school
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Cite this Entry

“Old-school.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/old-school. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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