as in elder statesman
the senior member of a group
the revered éminence grise of Civil War historians
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Recent Examples of éminence grise
But none have matched JPMorgan, which, under the leadership of Wall Street’s eminence grise Jamie Dimon, has thrived.
—
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024
Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.
—Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
Matthews is an eminence grise of television news, his pugilistic and red-cheeked persona familiar to viewers from countless election nights.
—BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2020
In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise.
—Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024
Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.
—Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
Matthews is an eminence grise of television news, his pugilistic and red-cheeked persona familiar to viewers from countless election nights.
—BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2020
In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise.
—Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for éminence grise
Noun
-
The Rangers need another strong campaign from the two elder statesmen on the starting staff.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The franchise’s elder statesmen understand that Jokic is an inextricable aspect of any conversation about Murray’s developing legacy.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Caterpillar veteran Kyle Epley was promoted to CFO effective May 1, at which time Bonfield will assume an advisory role.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Average and median salaries decline over the course of the season as veterans are released and replaced by younger players making closer to the minimum.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are no deans or Title IX officers intervening.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Pageants, deans' lists, graduations or military enlistments are not accepted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Respect for elders is being replaced by resentment of elders.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Fatou, the world’s oldest gorilla living in captivity, rang in her 69th birthday with a celebratory spread fit for a beloved elder — no cake required.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“éminence grise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/%C3%A9minence%20grise. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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