as in dad
an older man who acts in a paternal role to younger people
The coach was a stern, wise father figure to his players.
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Recent Examples of father figure
Martella, who retired in 2019, considered Fogarty a brother, a friend, a mentor and at times a father figure.
—
Laura Ness, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Matt also became a father figure to Luciana's daughter, Alexia.
—Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
All grandfathers, uncles, fathers and father figures are invited.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Each one grew up in a home that required her to curry favor with volatile and inconstant parents—a menacing father figure, a recessive and enabling mother—and each found a fragile safety in her caretakers’ occasional good will.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for father figure
Laura Ness, Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2026
Matt also became a father figure to Luciana's daughter, Alexia.
—Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
All grandfathers, uncles, fathers and father figures are invited.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Each one grew up in a home that required her to curry favor with volatile and inconstant parents—a menacing father figure, a recessive and enabling mother—and each found a fragile safety in her caretakers’ occasional good will.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for father figure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for father figure
Noun
-
And Dean’s son, who is also named Kenneth, like his dad and his grandfather, has been a cop for three years.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Over 500 institutions still give you a leg up if your mom or dad went there.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Their accounts gave me shivers of recognition—their experiences echoed my father’s stories.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The two become inseparable, to the dismay of Cathy’s paid companion Nelly (Vi Nguyen), and only become closer after Heathcliff takes a beating on Cathy’s behalf from her alcoholic father (Martin Clunes) for missing his birthday celebration.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Father figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father%20figure. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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