as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
our forefathers bought this farm, and our family has worked it for three generations
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Recent Examples of forefather
On Andor, Luna plays renegade Cassian Andor who ultimately becomes one of the forefathers of the Rebellion in Star Wars.
—
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025
National Review exists to hold out a lantern in the dark, to help our readers — and each other — to grope through the long night, and to find steadying wisdom of our forefathers.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 22 Nov. 2024
Like their Marxist forefathers, the neocons firmly accepted the existence of a predicable, long- term process of social evolution.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
To better their condition in an unknown land our forefathers left all that was dear in earthly objects.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 27 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025
National Review exists to hold out a lantern in the dark, to help our readers — and each other — to grope through the long night, and to find steadying wisdom of our forefathers.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 22 Nov. 2024
Like their Marxist forefathers, the neocons firmly accepted the existence of a predicable, long- term process of social evolution.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
To better their condition in an unknown land our forefathers left all that was dear in earthly objects.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 27 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefather
Noun
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The Cajuns of south Louisiana trace their ancestors to the French Acadians exiled from Nova Scotia around 1755.—
Kristy Christiansen,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2025
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Our ancestors crossed a vast ocean, strode into the unknown wilderness, and carved their fortunes from the rock and soil of a perilous and very dangerous frontier.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Journalism is part of my heritage: My great great grandfather was a Civil War correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Not only with the union, but with many beyond the company’s workers – including its retirees and a much larger number of voters spread across the industrial Midwest who remember the company’s former might, when their fathers, grandfathers or even great-grandfathers worked there.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Although years have passed since Belle's lies were exposed, Nick — now a father of two — still feels unsettled by his sister's actions, and wants to keep his children away from her.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
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There are implications that the two central fathers of the piece have clashed before, though the more jarring examples of tangential threads concern a performing troupe with whom Tornado has a pre-existing relationship.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forefather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefather. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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