Over-the-hill - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT over-the-hill

Use the adjective over-the-hill when you need a blunt way to describe someone as really old. You might feel over-the-hill if you can't keep up with the little boy you're babysitting.

When someone is over-the-hill, he's too old to be of much use, like a former football player who's past his prime. It's more common for a person to describe himself as over-the-hill than to talk about someone else this way: "I just turned sixty — I'm officially over-the-hill." It's also commonly used in a joking way. This phrase has been around since about 1950.

Definitions of over-the-hill

adjective too old to be useful synonyms: overage, overaged, superannuated old (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘over-the-hill'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family 2 million people are mastering new words. Master a word

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