as in dean
the senior member of a group
the elder statesman of the White House correspondents is finally retiring after nearly a half century of service
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Recent Examples of elder statesman
With Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams retired and Andy Murray now on Djokovic’s coaching team, the Serbian great is the last remaining legend on tour and the sport’s elder statesman.
—
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2025
Last season, with elder statesmen like Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander no longer in the clubhouse, Lindor and Brandon Nimmo took the reins as veteran leaders.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
As Hip-Hop continues to progress and evolve, some of the genre’s elder statesmen have lost their connection or understanding of the landscape.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 21 Jan. 2025
First time, too, for the team’s elder statesmen in left tackle Garett Bolles and receiver Courtland Sutton.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elder statesman
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2025
Last season, with elder statesmen like Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander no longer in the clubhouse, Lindor and Brandon Nimmo took the reins as veteran leaders.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
As Hip-Hop continues to progress and evolve, some of the genre’s elder statesmen have lost their connection or understanding of the landscape.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 21 Jan. 2025
First time, too, for the team’s elder statesmen in left tackle Garett Bolles and receiver Courtland Sutton.
—Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 5 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elder statesman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder statesman
Noun
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Cardinal Giovanni Battista, the dean of the College of Cardinals, will lead the proceedings.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Some deans have even been chosen as pope, including Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This diminishing of the sandwich generation’s own financial security could have very far reaching effects, not only for their own retirement plans down the road but for their own children as well, the legacy of the family elders who need long term care.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
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The survey revealed Gen Z plans to embrace a more traditional mindset than their millennial elders in many ways.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The veteran actress reinforced her romantic bonafides in the starry ensemble movies Think Like a Man and Think Like a Man Too (2014) while finding a home on TV in Being Mary Jane (2013–2019).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Drake Baldwin thriving in role Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin’s role has been reduced since veteran Sean Murphy returned from the injured list, but Baldwin is excelling in his opportunities to catch a couple of times a week and also DH or pinch hit occasionally.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elder statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder%20statesman. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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