granddaddies

noun

variants also grandaddies
plural of granddaddy
as in forerunners
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed the granddaddy of all English mystery novels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for granddaddies
  1. forerunners
  2. ancestors
  3. precursors
Noun
  • Even the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws created by the sixth Babylonian king in approximately 1760 bce, established forerunners of today’s interest rate and minimum wage laws.
    — Chris Roush, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of forerunners
Noun
  • However, when her island's resources are threatened, Moana embraces her ancestors' voyaging heritage and heads out to sea to find Maui, deliver the heart of Te Fiti (which Maui stole back in the day) and save her people.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • The plants and animals Williford’s ancestors held relationships with became strangers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of ancestors
Noun
  • Comets are also rich with organic compounds that could serve as precursors for biochemistry.
    — Darryl Z. Seligman, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
  • These two motivations – toward others and toward disagreement – are precursors to civility.
    — Deborah Mower, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of precursors
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.

Browse Nearby Words

grandams
granddaddies
granddaddy
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Cite this Entry

“Granddaddies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/granddaddies. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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