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
The book comes as Schwarzenegger has evolved into more of an elder statesman motivational speaker and influencer in recent years, engaging with fans online and putting out a daily wellness newsletter.
—
James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Damian here with the highlights from the STAT Summit, a question on CRISPR, and career advice from a biotech elder statesman.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 19 Oct. 2023
The 1976 all-star concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom marked the end of his career with the Band, the end of his years as a touring musician, and the start of life as an elder statesman of rock.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2023
Amid that chaos, Mr. Napolitano, a onetime leader of the Italian Communist Party who later embraced the tenets of social democracy and European integration, emerged as a person of undisputed seriousness, the definition of an elder statesman.
—Emily Langer, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023
In the transition from enfant terrible to elder statesman, Mamet refashioned himself as a neocon crank, sounding off like a regular contributor to the comments section of Breitbart News.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2023
Toné! is in a mode of gratitude and reflection as group returns to the stage as some of R&B’s most beloved elder statesmen.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2023
But a younger cohort of boundary-pushing photographers, including Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin, was making these two elder statesmen of fashion photography look a little past their prime.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023
Both streets were named after legendary activists, but Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison and came out to finish his life as a white-haired elder statesman.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Aug. 2023
See More
James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Oct. 2023
Damian here with the highlights from the STAT Summit, a question on CRISPR, and career advice from a biotech elder statesman.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 19 Oct. 2023
The 1976 all-star concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom marked the end of his career with the Band, the end of his years as a touring musician, and the start of life as an elder statesman of rock.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2023
Amid that chaos, Mr. Napolitano, a onetime leader of the Italian Communist Party who later embraced the tenets of social democracy and European integration, emerged as a person of undisputed seriousness, the definition of an elder statesman.
—Emily Langer, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2023
In the transition from enfant terrible to elder statesman, Mamet refashioned himself as a neocon crank, sounding off like a regular contributor to the comments section of Breitbart News.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2023
Toné! is in a mode of gratitude and reflection as group returns to the stage as some of R&B’s most beloved elder statesmen.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2023
But a younger cohort of boundary-pushing photographers, including Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin, was making these two elder statesmen of fashion photography look a little past their prime.
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023
Both streets were named after legendary activists, but Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison and came out to finish his life as a white-haired elder statesman.
—Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elder statesman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1904, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near elder statesman
Cite this Entry
“Elder statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elder%20statesman. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
elder statesman
noun
: a respected older member of a group or organization
especially
: a retired statesman who gives advice to current leaders
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