SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
anachronism
noun
Something placed in, or belonging to, an inappropriate historical period.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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A useful distinction
Alternatives apply to the displayed meaning. Related wording may differ in tone or grammar and is not always interchangeable.
Something placed in, or belonging to, an inappropriate historical period
No close substitute is listed for this sense. The expressions below help explain the idea.
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
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RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The anachronism family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
anachronisticadjective
Belonging to another time or out of place in its present period.
Out of its proper time
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
The modern watch looked anachronistic in the historical play.
The anachronistic watch invited a question about time rather than exposing an accidental oversight, according to the artist's caption. Its incongruity would remain visible even to a viewer unfamiliar with the artist's other work, since the surrounding costume established a different period.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See anachronism in use
A wristwatch in the medieval scene was an obvious anachronism.
The handwritten ledger seemed an anachronism in the automated office.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license