as in grandfather
a man who is the head of a family
Investors worried that the aging patriarch was soon to be replaced atop the family business by his less reliable oldest son.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of patriarch
The Barreras were just minutes away from their Anaheim, Calif., home when the fatal collision occurred on the 5 Freeway, killing the patriarch and Sofia instantly, KABC reported.
—
Angel Saunders, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The Ratliff family is on the brink of financial ruin as Jason Isaacs’ patriarch Timothy holds out from telling his wife or children and instead gulps down Victoria’s (Parker Posey) lorazepam to dissociate from reality.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife Belle (Bello) and son Cane (Weary) venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife Belle (Maria Bello) and son Cane (Jake Weary) venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Angel Saunders, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
The Ratliff family is on the brink of financial ruin as Jason Isaacs’ patriarch Timothy holds out from telling his wife or children and instead gulps down Victoria’s (Parker Posey) lorazepam to dissociate from reality.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife Belle (Bello) and son Cane (Weary) venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
But their fishing empire has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan Buckley (Holt McCallany) recovers from two heart attacks, and his wife Belle (Maria Bello) and son Cane (Jake Weary) venture into the deep end to keep the family businesses afloat.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
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Given his grandfather’s negative views on homosexuality, Min has not yet discussed being gay with his grandmother.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Steve Polidori joined his grandfather at the family’s meat-processing facility while studying at Colorado State University in the early ’90s and stayed on after graduation.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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My dad revered Mary of Egypt, who was also known as the Harlot of the Desert, and was largely forgotten in the West.—
Eliza Griswold,
New Yorker,
19 Apr. 2025
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Clint followed in his dad’s footsteps, both in deed and demeanor.—
Jenni Carlson,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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At the time of their father’s death, Colton and McKenna were just 8 and 6 years old, respectively.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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Wisconsin woman sells home, travels full-time after personal loss Ashley Kay sold her home, bought a truck and embarked on an adventure across North and South America following her father's unexpected death.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There’s also a concern about acting as if your son were a source of shame, a secret to be hidden from the paterfamilias.—
Kwame Anthony Appiah,
New York Times,
9 Aug. 2022
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In a sense this is a classic family drama: the struggle over the paterfamilias’s legacy, complete with allegations of late-in-life changes to the will.—
Benjamin Soskis,
Town & Country,
27 Oct. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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