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dean

noun

ˈdēn How to pronounce dean (audio)
Definition of deannext
as in elder
the senior member of a group the dean of the Aspen ski instructors oversaw the training of the rescue team

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dean In comments commending the two honorees, Caucus organizer Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies, noted that Pelosi and Pence are laudable regardless of one’s politics. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2026 The dean of the group, the highly respected Roble Olhaye of Djibouti, reminded us that the diplomatic corps had been advocating for AGOA for five years. — semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Experts who will speak on Wednesday include two gynecologists, the dean of the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health, and the executive director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center at NYU. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026 Notley, dean of religious studies at Pillar College in New Jersey, said an unexpected wildfire last year helped researchers gain a better understanding of the size of the ancient settlement. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dean
  1. elder
  2. veteran
  3. doyen
  4. elder statesman
  5. senior
Noun
  • Pat Bodenhamer is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church who took a leave of absence to pursue a longtime dream of becoming a history teacher at Pocahontas Junior High School.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Clemishire, along with her father, filed a $1 million defamation suit in Dallas County against Morris, his wife, Debbie, the church, its current and former elders, and a church staff member.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of elder
Noun
  • Richard Kurin, a fifty-year veteran of the institution, launched a top-secret study of the question in 2011.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • If Douglas cannot play, that could mean an opportunity for veteran Jalen Tolbert, the former Cowboys starter who has been inactive for the first two games.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of veteran
Noun
  • One of the doyens of Portuguese coaching, who has managed each of the big three in their home country and led Al Hilal to the title in 2023-24 after a 34-game unbeaten streak, was personally convinced by Ronaldo to cross the divide.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • Back home in Budapest, fellow academics and foreign diplomats marvel at the doyen of Hungarian foreign policy who doesn’t speak Hungarian.
    — Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of doyen
Noun
  • Yesterday’s punk, grunge, and rebel-outsider upstarts have an uncanny way of evolving into today’s elder statesmen of respectable infamy.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The squad’s elder statesmen set standards on the pitch and in the dressing room to help their more junior colleagues along their journey.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of elder statesman
Noun
  • Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for children 12 and younger.
    — Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Even though so many seniors are being victimized, Florida did not provide any additional funding for the Office of Financial Regulation charged with enforcement and auditing thousands of machines.
    — Mike Ryan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of senior

Browse Nearby Words

deal (with)
dean
deans
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Cite this Entry

“Dean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dean. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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