patriarchal

adjective

pa·​tri·​ar·​chal ˌpā-trē-ˈär-kəl How to pronounce patriarchal (audio)
Synonyms of patriarchalnext
: of, relating to, or being a patriarch or patriarchy
a patriarchal culture
a patriarchal religion

Examples of patriarchal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Also, patriarchal tradition runs deep in the community. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 20 Jan. 2026 Not just dead but grotesquely maligned in her death, in ways that try to enforce and underscore the patriarchal order that women such as Good threaten. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026 Still, she gets frustrated by the patriarchal gatekeeping of women's stories; research shows female filmmakers continue to be widely underrepresented at both the box office and the Oscars. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026 After a 15-year battle against world champion Garry Kasparov, Judit Polgár revolutionizes the sport’s patriarchal culture to become one of the greatest chess prodigies in history and the greatest woman chess player of all time. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patriarchal

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of patriarchal was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Patriarchal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriarchal. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

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