diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/MutableSortDefinition.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/MutableSortDefinition.java
index 78c771cd83f..1aa97f4a487 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/MutableSortDefinition.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/MutableSortDefinition.java
@@ -30,8 +30,11 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @author Jean-Pierre Pawlak
  * @since 26.05.2003
  * @see #setToggleAscendingOnProperty
+ * @deprecated as severely outdated and superseded by more modern solutions,
+ * for example in Spring Data Commons
  */
-@SuppressWarnings("serial")
+@Deprecated(since = "7.0.3", forRemoval = true)
+@SuppressWarnings({"removal", "serial"})
 public class MutableSortDefinition implements SortDefinition, Serializable {
 
 	private String property = "";
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolder.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolder.java
index 2ab707c4015..65a9548f2aa 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolder.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolder.java
@@ -49,9 +49,11 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @since 19.05.2003
  * @param <E> the element type
  * @see #getPageList()
- * @see org.springframework.beans.support.MutableSortDefinition
+ * @deprecated as severely outdated and superseded by more modern solutions,
+ * for example in Spring Data Commons
  */
-@SuppressWarnings("serial")
+@Deprecated(since = "7.0.3", forRemoval = true)
+@SuppressWarnings({"removal", "serial"})
 public class PagedListHolder<E> implements Serializable {
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparator.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparator.java
index 4b003d06a3c..46d513531cb 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparator.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparator.java
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * @since 19.05.2003
  * @param <T> the type of objects that may be compared by this comparator
  * @see org.springframework.beans.BeanWrapper
+ * @deprecated as severely outdated and superseded by more modern solutions,
+ * for example in Spring Data Commons
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "7.0.3", forRemoval = true)
+@SuppressWarnings("removal")
 public class PropertyComparator<T> implements Comparator<T> {
 
 	protected final Log logger = LogFactory.getLog(getClass());
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/SortDefinition.java b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/SortDefinition.java
index ee72edb8fef..f9de264848a 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/SortDefinition.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/support/SortDefinition.java
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ package org.springframework.beans.support;
  *
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @since 26.05.2003
+ * @deprecated as severely outdated and superseded by more modern solutions,
+ * for example in Spring Data Commons
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "7.0.3", forRemoval = true)
 public interface SortDefinition {
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolderTests.java b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolderTests.java
index 4489c29bfbe..958479fb8c5 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolderTests.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PagedListHolderTests.java
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
  * @author Chris Beams
  * @since 20.05.2003
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "7.0.3", forRemoval = true)
+@SuppressWarnings("removal")
 class PagedListHolderTests {
 
 	@Test
diff --git a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparatorTests.java b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparatorTests.java
index b4c7fde6719..f9250104556 100644
--- a/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparatorTests.java
+++ b/spring-beans/src/test/java/org/springframework/beans/support/PropertyComparatorTests.java
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
  * @author Keith Donald
  * @author Chris Beams
  */
+@Deprecated(since = "7.0.3", forRemoval = true)
+@SuppressWarnings("removal")
 class PropertyComparatorTests {
 
 	@Test