as in elderly
showing a loss of mental ability (such as memory) in old age
a senile man in his eighties Her mother is becoming senile.
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Recent Examples of senile
In one story, Earn’s seemingly routine trip to church with Gloria, Jeanie, and his senile grandfather (Bob Banks) goes pear-shaped when Gloria abruptly drives off with her dad, leaving behind Earn and a bewildered Jeanie, who has recently been their father’s caretaker.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022
Why do humans develop senile ovaries by age 30?
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 20 Aug. 2022
Trump regularly claimed during the 2020 campaign that Biden was senile.
—Dallas News, 9 Feb. 2022
The sky broken by the bare oaks and elms of New Prospect was full of moist promise, a pair of frontal systems grayly colluding to deliver a white Christmas, when Russ Hildebrandt made his morning rounds among the homes of bedridden and senile parishioners in his Plymouth Fury wagon.
—Wyatt Mason, WSJ, 6 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for senile
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2022
Why do humans develop senile ovaries by age 30?
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 20 Aug. 2022
Trump regularly claimed during the 2020 campaign that Biden was senile.
—Dallas News, 9 Feb. 2022
The sky broken by the bare oaks and elms of New Prospect was full of moist promise, a pair of frontal systems grayly colluding to deliver a white Christmas, when Russ Hildebrandt made his morning rounds among the homes of bedridden and senile parishioners in his Plymouth Fury wagon.
—Wyatt Mason, WSJ, 6 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for senile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for senile
Adjective
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Longer term plans include designing Robin to help elderly patients change their clothes and go to the bathroom.—
HALLIE GOLDEN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
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One man in the crowd can be seen laughing, another man holds his head in his hands, while a despondent elderly couple gets up and leaves.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The residency blues In politics, fighting over where candidates live is a tale as old as time.—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
24 Oct. 2025
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Lutnick handed the reins of the company to his 27-year-old son, and his other son also works at Cantor.—
Melanie Hicken,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Steve Kopack Steve Kopack is a senior reporter at NBC News covering business and the economy.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
24 Oct. 2025
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Two of Jurupa Valley's senior players, McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh, stepped away from the team this season in protest of the trans athlete.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Senile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/senile. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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