as in elder statesman
the senior member of a group
the revered éminence grise of Civil War historians
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of éminence grise
But none have matched JPMorgan, which, under the leadership of Wall Street’s eminence grise Jamie Dimon, has thrived.
—
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024
Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.
—Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
Matthews is an eminence grise of television news, his pugilistic and red-cheeked persona familiar to viewers from countless election nights.
—BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2020
In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise.
—Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024
Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.
—Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
Matthews is an eminence grise of television news, his pugilistic and red-cheeked persona familiar to viewers from countless election nights.
—BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2020
In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise.
—Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for éminence grise
Noun
-
The Rangers need another strong campaign from the two elder statesmen on the starting staff.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The franchise’s elder statesmen understand that Jokic is an inextricable aspect of any conversation about Murray’s developing legacy.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The front office also faced growing concerns about whether Reese’s presence would deter the signing of returning veterans and key free agents the Sky had targeted.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Two Patriots veteran free-agent additions, outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, addressed the media on Thursday as the offseason workout program wrapped up for the week.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mike McDonald, who graduated from Bellarmine in 1957, was the dean of the group, with 1960 Notre Dame graduates Marilou Cristina and Colleen Block providing more than equal representation for the women’s side.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The performance also comes as Shelly Berg, the dean of the Frost School of Music, prepares to retire in May.—
Megan Fitzgerald,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As an elder, Mellencamp often jokes about how many tours he was fired from in his salad days, usually because the headlining acts (KISS, REO Speedwagon, British hard rock act Rainbow) and their audiences didn’t take to his kiss-off attitude and misfit energy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Warnings to ethnic minorities in the hills of northern Thailand to avoid using river water are painful for the Lahu, who are famed as fisher people, said Sela Lipo, 56, a Lahu elder.—
Anton L. Delgado,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“éminence grise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/%C3%A9minence%20grise. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
