variants
also forbear
as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
his forebears came to America on the Mayflower
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forebear
Reopening the door to China in 1972, Richard Nixon reawakened his forebears’ dream of making China embrace American-style democracy and capitalism.
—
Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
That's not a bad thing—the Camp Snap 2 is just as affordable and easy to use as its forebear, and its display-free design continues, so kids can use it to preserve memories at summer camps and school events where smartphones and screen time are verboten.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 2 June 2026
When Stanley Tucci isn’t busy making hit movies like The Devil Wears Prada 2, he can often be found in Italy, the land of his forebears.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 May 2026
The scene recalled the gruesome rampages of the RSF’s forebears, the janjaweed militias who terrorized Sudan’s Darfur region a generation ago.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
That's not a bad thing—the Camp Snap 2 is just as affordable and easy to use as its forebear, and its display-free design continues, so kids can use it to preserve memories at summer camps and school events where smartphones and screen time are verboten.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 2 June 2026
When Stanley Tucci isn’t busy making hit movies like The Devil Wears Prada 2, he can often be found in Italy, the land of his forebears.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 May 2026
The scene recalled the gruesome rampages of the RSF’s forebears, the janjaweed militias who terrorized Sudan’s Darfur region a generation ago.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebear
Noun
-
For our hunter-gatherer ancestors, getting enough of these critical nutrients was a daily life-and-death struggle.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
The acreage had been owned by Ruth Moore’s ancestors, the Toof family, who named it Graceland.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Both my grandfathers had been coal miners.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
-
Her grandfather was able to escape and later fought against the Nazis in the Russian army.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
In the years since, Harry, 41, has made several short trips back to the UK, most notably attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and his father King Charles III’s coronation in 2023.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
-
My brother in-law was an incredible husband and an amazing father to their boys.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forebear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebear. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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