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Adjective: - Out of date; no longer fashionable or interesting: "old hat" describes something that is considered passé, stale, or lacking novelty due to familiarity or age.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 (The previous version becomes outdated quickly.)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• Outdated: no longer current or in use.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.)