old hat
Definition
Adjective: - Out of date; no longer fashionable or interesting: "old hat" describes something that is considered passé, stale, or lacking novelty due to familiarity or age.
Usage Examples
- (The music style is no longer trendy or exciting.)
- (The jokes are worn out and not amusing due to repetition.)
Advanced Usage
"to be old hat": to be something that has become commonplace or obsolete.
- Wearing a suit to work is old hat in this casual office. (The practice is no longer standard or expected.)
"to make something old hat": to cause something to lose its appeal through overuse or time.
- The constant updates in technology make last year's model old hat. (The previous version becomes outdated quickly.)
Variants and Related Words
- Old-hat (adj, hyphenated alternative): same meaning, used before a noun.
- He gave an old-hat speech that failed to inspire anyone. (The speech was unoriginal and dull.)
Synonyms
- Outdated: no longer current or in use.
- Stale: lacking freshness or originality.
- Passé: no longer fashionable or modern.
- Dated: showing signs of being from an earlier time.
Related Idioms
Old as the hills: very ancient or well-known.
- That excuse is as old as the hills. (The excuse is extremely familiar and unoriginal.)
Yesterday's news: something that is no longer important or relevant.
- His scandal is yesterday's news; nobody cares anymore. (The event is forgotten or irrelevant.)
Phrasal Verbs
- None directly associated with "old hat" as a fixed phrase. However, the verb phrase "to go out of style" conveys a similar idea.
- Bell-bottom jeans went out of style years ago and are now old hat. (They are no longer fashionable.)