enter old age

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "enter old age" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing the transition into the later stages of life. Example: "As we enter old age, we often reflect on our past experiences." Alternative expressions include "reach old age" and "approach old age."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Many boomers are set to enter old age with whatever they have in Social Security and a few bucks.

The Washington Post

But more than anything, these are men and women who, as they enter old age, have settled into patterns they seem unwilling, or unable, to break.

The New York Times

Will she develop a serious disease as a result of taking the drugs or will she enter old age healthy and vigorous, younger than her years?

The New York Times

Today, 1percentt of the gross national product goes for long-term care of the elderly, and the bill is bound to go up when the baby boomers enter old age.

The New York Times

Though it's too early to make strong claims about the effects of calorie-restriction on these animals, the preliminary results suggest that the dieting monkeys are healthier as they enter old age.

MIT Technology Review

This curiosity with "the creativity of great artists as they enter old age" is further explored in Alfred Stieglitz's pictures of clouds, called "Equivalents," made when the photographer was nearing 60.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

ABI's Steven Gay said people will need, and want, to enter a new phase of working as they enter older age to keep earning an income.

The Guardian

Aging is another sign of growing up, although some people enter older age kicking and screaming.

WikiHow

Is it hard to find that energy as she enters old age?

The Guardian

Then, when the older man was out of the game, the son came into his own and finally achieved maturity as his father entered old age.

The New Yorker

The original cohort of children with autism described by Leo Kanner in 1943 is now entering old age but autism research has remained heavily focused on children.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine the phrase with adverbs to add nuance, such as 'healthily' or 'vibrantly', as seen in high-quality journalistic examples

Common error

Avoid adding prepositions like 'into' after 'enter' in this specific context (e.g. avoid 'enter into old age'). While 'enter into' is used for agreements or discussions, 'enter' alone is preferred for physical or chronological thresholds.

Linguistic Context

As noted by Ludwig, the phrase "enter old age" functions as a transitive verb phrase where 'enter' acts as the action of crossing a threshold and 'old age' serves as the destination or state being reached. It is grammatically sound and widely accepted.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "enter old age" is a well-established and correct phrase used to describe the onset of the later stages of life. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across elite journalism and scientific research. It is most frequently used to discuss social issues, such as how populations or individuals prepare for retirement and elderly health challenges. Whether used in a poetic sense to describe a personal journey or in a clinical sense to describe demographic trends, the phrase effectively communicates the crossing of a chronological threshold. For writers seeking variety, alternatives like "reach old age" or "approach old age" offer slight variations in meaning while maintaining a similar level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reach old age

Suggests the achievement of a milestone or survival to a certain point.

transition into old age

Highlights the developmental or psychological process of change.

approach old age

Indicates the period of time leading up to the transition rather than the transition itself.

attain old age

Slightly more formal, often used in scientific or demographic contexts.

become elderly

Focuses on the change in state or categorization of the individual.

grow old

Focuses on the continuous process of aging rather than the specific threshold of entering a new phase.

advance in years

A common formal idiom used as a respectful alternative to aging.

age into seniority

More clinical or administrative, often referring to social services or retirement benefits.

enter one's twilight years

A more poetic or euphemistic way to describe the later stages of life.

reach seniority

Emphasizes the social or professional standing associated with being older.

FAQs

How do I use "enter old age" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a transition, for example: "Many baby boomers are starting to "enter old age" with limited savings."

What is a more formal way to say "enter old age"?

In formal or academic contexts, you might prefer to use "attain old age" or "transition into old age".

Can I say "reaching old age" instead?

Yes, "reach old age" is a very common and synonymous alternative that is perfectly interchangeable in most contexts.

What is the difference between "enter old age" and "grow old"?

While "grow old" refers to the gradual process of aging, "enter old age" specifically marks the threshold of becoming part of the elderly population.