as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority
even though she was 87, the matriarch of the family knew everything that was going on
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Recent Examples of matriarch
Many first-generation wealth creators remain reluctant to relinquish control, particularly in Asia, where fortunes are often closely associated with a family patriarch or matriarch.
—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Everett, who would become the family’s matriarch, was about 16 years old at the time.
—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
The road continues from Beersheba to Hebron, home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, purchased by Abraham some 3,800 years ago and traditionally regarded as the resting place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs.
—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
West's grandmother, Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, also paid tribute to the teen in an Instagram post of her own.
—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Everett, who would become the family’s matriarch, was about 16 years old at the time.
—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
The road continues from Beersheba to Hebron, home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, purchased by Abraham some 3,800 years ago and traditionally regarded as the resting place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs.
—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
West's grandmother, Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, also paid tribute to the teen in an Instagram post of her own.
—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matriarch
Noun
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The show’s underpinned by the differences in character and country of Lady Cora and her formidable mother-in-law, the dowager Countess Violet Crawley, played by the equally formidable and much missed Dame Maggie Smith.
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The empress dowager’s legacy Empress Dowager Ling was largely unsuccessful in her bid for power.
Noun
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Since then, Hills has worked in various hospitals and wards, including spending 10 years as a ward sister and a matron, which are both senior roles for nurses.
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How did a young Upper East Side matron with a small daughter and a dormant career as an art historian get here?
Cite this Entry
“Matriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matriarch. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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