granddaddy

noun

ˈgran-ˌda-dē How to pronounce granddaddy (audio)
variants also grandaddy
Definition of granddaddynext
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed the granddaddy of all English mystery novels

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 granddaddy Yet now the granddaddy of philanthropic sporting events is being replaced by a sport actually popularized by granddaddies — pickleball. — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026 The Mimslyn Inn, a member of the Historic Hotels of America, is the granddaddy of all Luray lodging. — Erica Silverstein, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2026 But some years, the granddaddy of all entertainment awards shows has had a distinctly Bay Area resonance. — Culture Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026 Michaels called his final and record-tying 11th Super Bowl and was replaced by Mike Tirico on NBC, while the granddaddy contract of them all, Tom Brady’s $375 million monster, was inked. — Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for granddaddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for granddaddy
  1. forerunner
  2. ancestor
  3. precursor
Noun
  • The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
  • The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 June 2026
Definition of forerunner
Noun
  • At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
  • All across the United States, federal soldiers rounded up our Native American ancestors like cattle, pushing them into prison camps, many of which later became reservations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • For example, a single enrichment run could routinely produce ytterbium-176, the precursor used to manufacture lutetium-177 (Lu-177).
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
  • The faction’s precursors backed ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Muhammad’s son-in-law and cousin, immediately after Muhammad’s death in 632.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 July 2026
Definition of precursor

Browse Nearby Words

granddaddies
granddaddy
grande dame
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Granddaddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/granddaddy. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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