silverback
noun
sil·ver·back
ˈsil-vər-ˌbak 
: an older adult usually dominant male gorilla having gray or whitish hair on the back
Examples of silverback in a Sentence
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Before us, in a curtain of matte black against the vibrant green, a beautiful, enormous silverback lays flopped on his back surrounded by eight gorillas of all ages wrestling around him.
—
Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Ruyombo, the silverback’s name, is stalky with short limbs.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026
Sturridge crows and growls his lines, rolling his torso and crouching to crawl on his knuckles like a young silverback.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
Communal meals of fresh regional ingredients and flavors encourage conversation and stories about silverbacks who sat close and curious baby gorillas who tumbled.
—Natalie Preddie, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silverback
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Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Ruyombo, the silverback’s name, is stalky with short limbs.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026
Sturridge crows and growls his lines, rolling his torso and crouching to crawl on his knuckles like a young silverback.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2025
Communal meals of fresh regional ingredients and flavors encourage conversation and stories about silverbacks who sat close and curious baby gorillas who tumbled.
—Natalie Preddie, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silverback
Cite this Entry
“Silverback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silverback. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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