1
: a person older than another
five years my senior
2
a
: a person with higher standing or rank
b
: a senior fellow of a college at an English university
c
: a student in the year preceding graduation from a school of secondary or higher level
3
capitalized
: a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in the 9th through 12th grades in school
4
1
: of prior birth, establishment, or enrollment
—often used to distinguish a father with the same given name as his son
2
: higher ranking : superior
senior officers
3
: of, relating to, or intended for seniors
a senior center
4
: having a claim on corporate assets and income prior to other securities
Synonyms
Examples of senior in a Sentence
Noun
As his senior, she commanded quite a bit of respect.
She was his senior in rank.
high school juniors and seniors
Adjective
the senior vice president of marketing
She is a senior aide to the president.
a senior editor for the magazine
He recently became a senior partner in the accounting firm.
the men's senior baseball league
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Recent Examples on the Web
Nicole Gull McElroy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Beyer, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior at Corona Centennial High, embraces the risks and rewards.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
Once customers — many of them seniors — sign with Curbio, the company holds a lien on their property, the suit says.
—Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Many seniors experience a drop in water consumption that leads to chronic dehydration.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2023
Social Security is often a person's biggest financial asset aside from homeownership, and the steady stream of monthly income keeps millions of seniors from slipping into poverty.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2023
Tickets are $25; $20 for seniors and military and $10 for students.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023
How to make a claw-foot tub safer for seniors
Another con is the hassle of installation.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
Twice an All-American pick and ranked No. 1 nationally as a fifth-year senior, Corpuz also earned an undergraduate degree in business administration, a master’s in global supply chain management, and graduate certificates in business analytics sustainability and business.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2023
Alexander Smith Alexander Smith is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital based in London.
—Anna Schecter, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023
Three Americans — two women and a girl — are expected to be released under the present agreement, a senior Biden administration official told The Washington Post.
—Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
Jeremy Medina, a senior at Gainesville High School who played on the school's baseball team in 2022 as a pitcher and catcher, remained hospitalized and in a coma on Wednesday, when Gainesville City Schools shared their latest update about his condition.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 23 Nov. 2023
Meanwhile, Colorado State graduate senior defensive lineman Mohamed Kamara by himself has amassed 10 1/2 sacks, which ranks fourth in the nation.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2023
But the killings came as senior managers at Lake City were bracing for the possibility that news reports would link the plant to such crimes.
—Ben Dooley Emily Rhyne, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023
Foreign ministers already met overnight to draft the final communique that will address possible solutions that protect civilians and will denounce attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza, senior Arab officials said.
—WSJ, 11 Nov. 2023
The Biden administration views the Israeli intelligence as credible, senior administration officials have said in recent days, although their independent information is limited because the United States has not extensively focused on Hamas in recent years.
—Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
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Noun
Browsing the company’s social media feed means easily losing 20 minutes to posts of Pit Viper-wearing seniors flipping the bird, pictures of people wearing Pit Vipers on the toilet, and videos of people doing moronic tricks on skis, bikes, and rollerblades wearing not much but Pit Vipers.
—Nicole Gull McElroy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Beyer, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior at Corona Centennial High, embraces the risks and rewards.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
Once customers — many of them seniors — sign with Curbio, the company holds a lien on their property, the suit says.
—Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 20 Nov. 2023
Many seniors experience a drop in water consumption that leads to chronic dehydration.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2023
Social Security is often a person's biggest financial asset aside from homeownership, and the steady stream of monthly income keeps millions of seniors from slipping into poverty.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2023
Tickets are $25; $20 for seniors and military and $10 for students.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023
How to make a claw-foot tub safer for seniors
Another con is the hassle of installation.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
Twice an All-American pick and ranked No. 1 nationally as a fifth-year senior, Corpuz also earned an undergraduate degree in business administration, a master’s in global supply chain management, and graduate certificates in business analytics sustainability and business.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
Adjective
Glamour senior beauty editor Ariana Yaptangco has used these DDG pads since college.
—Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 24 Nov. 2023
Alexander Smith Alexander Smith is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital based in London.
—Anna Schecter, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023
Three Americans — two women and a girl — are expected to be released under the present agreement, a senior Biden administration official told The Washington Post.
—Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
Jeremy Medina, a senior at Gainesville High School who played on the school's baseball team in 2022 as a pitcher and catcher, remained hospitalized and in a coma on Wednesday, when Gainesville City Schools shared their latest update about his condition.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 23 Nov. 2023
Meanwhile, Colorado State graduate senior defensive lineman Mohamed Kamara by himself has amassed 10 1/2 sacks, which ranks fourth in the nation.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2023
But the killings came as senior managers at Lake City were bracing for the possibility that news reports would link the plant to such crimes.
—Ben Dooley Emily Rhyne, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023
Foreign ministers already met overnight to draft the final communique that will address possible solutions that protect civilians and will denounce attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza, senior Arab officials said.
—WSJ, 11 Nov. 2023
The Biden administration views the Israeli intelligence as credible, senior administration officials have said in recent days, although their independent information is limited because the United States has not extensively focused on Hamas in recent years.
—Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'senior.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Latin, from senior, adjective
Adjective
Middle English, from Latin, older, elder, comparative of sen-, senex old; akin to Goth sineigs old, Greek henos
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of senior was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing senior
Articles Related to senior
Dictionary Entries Near senior
Cite this Entry
“Senior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/senior. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
senior
1 of 2 noun
se·nior
ˈsē-nyər 
1
: a person who is older than another
five years my senior
2
a
: a person with higher standing or rank
b
: a student in the final year of high school or college
senior
2 of 2 adjective1
: being older
—used to distinguish a father from a son with the same name
John Doe, Senior
2
: higher ranking
senior officers
the senior partner of the law firm
3
: of or relating to seniors in an educational institution
the senior class
Legal Definition
senior
adjective
se·nior
ˈsē-nyər
: having higher rank or priority
a senior lienholder
specifically
: having a claim on corporate assets and income prior to other securities
More from Merriam-Webster on senior
Nglish: Translation of senior for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of senior for Arabic Speakers
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