elder statesman

noun

: an eminent senior member of a group or organization
especially : a retired statesman who unofficially advises current leaders

Examples of elder statesman in a Sentence

an elder statesman of baseball coaches the elder statesman of the White House correspondents is finally retiring after nearly a half century of service
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
An elder statesman in the field of neuroplasticity, Merzenich and two other scientists received the prestigious Kavli Award in Neuroscience in 2016 for their groundbreaking discoveries that the adult brain could change, adapt and create new neural connections throughout life. Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 On a day when the last remaining Israeli hostages returned home after two years in captivity, and both Israelis and Palestinians celebrated the end of the Israel-Hamas war, many of America's elder statesmen and stateswomen kept mum. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025 Moda Moda is something of an elder statesman in the Pittsburgh retail scene, having opened in 1990. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2025 Best Primetime Kits Novak Djokovic: Lacoste Novak Djokovic looked the part of tennis’ elder statesman in his black Lacoste kit paired with his signature Court FF 3 Novak Night Energy shoes from Asics. Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elder statesman

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elder statesman was in 1904

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Cite this Entry

“Elder statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elder%20statesman. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

elder statesman

noun
: a respected older member of a group or organization
especially : a retired statesman who gives advice to current leaders
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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