seen better days
Showing its age
Something that has seen better days is worn, damaged, or past its prime—showing signs of age or hard use.
The phrase applies to objects, places, or people: The old sofa had seen better days.
It carries a note of gentle understatement, acknowledging decline without harsh judgment.
- wornDamaged by use
- worse for wearDamaged by experience
- fadedLost original color
- shabbyWorn and neglected
- threadbareWorn until transparent
down at heel · dilapidated · rundown · falling apart · decrepit · on its last legs · weathered · tattered · ragged · past its prime · careworn · weary · haggard · tired · battered · neglected · rusty · peeling
- outdatedobsolete, outdated, out of date, dated, outmoded
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
seen better daysbrand new
Completely unused, just acquired
pristine · mint condition · good as new · immaculate · fresh
seen better dayson the rise
Becoming greater or more
up and coming · flourishing · thriving · on the up · going strong
seen, sees, seeing, seer, seers, foreseeable, unforeseen, better, days