1
as in grandfather
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
Bridie's Irish ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 19th century during the Great Potato Famine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
pinball machines—the ancestors of today's video games—go back to the 19th century
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ancestor
Italy Last year, Italy suddenly changed its citizenship-by-descent rules, which had until then allowed anyone with an Italian ancestor alive after March 17, 1861—when Italy became a unified country—to apply for citizenship.
—
Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Should the chain of citizenship break somewhere along the line, however, where an ancestor renounced their citizenship, rights to Canadian citizenship end there.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
And the results were nothing short of touching, not only proving that dogs broke away from their wolf ancestors earlier than researchers thought, but that the relationship between man and dog was intimate, from the get-go.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Some reflect on the strength of their ancestors.
—Rachelle Graham, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Should the chain of citizenship break somewhere along the line, however, where an ancestor renounced their citizenship, rights to Canadian citizenship end there.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
And the results were nothing short of touching, not only proving that dogs broke away from their wolf ancestors earlier than researchers thought, but that the relationship between man and dog was intimate, from the get-go.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
Some reflect on the strength of their ancestors.
—Rachelle Graham, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestor
Noun
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And while the circumstances of his birth may have been historic, Phillips’ education was traditional for the family, following in the footsteps of his uncle Charles and grandfather, Prince Philip, and cutting his teeth at Gordonstoun School in Scotland.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
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But Koehnemann also learned from his grandfather Ryne Sandberg, a Chicago Cubs legend and 2005 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee who died in Lake Bluff on July 28, 2025.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
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The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Mohamad Faisal, one of Shah Alam's children, previously told Reuters that his father's arrest about a year ago was due to a misunderstanding with police officers.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Her father was seated on a chair with one foot tucked under him, and her mother was sitting on the sofa with both feet curled under her.—
Jacobina Martin,
Washington Post,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Such engravings, which depict the wackily maximalist style à la mode, including oodles of feathers and furbelows, were, in essence, early precursors to modern fashion magazines.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Tantric yoga is obviously meant to be the precursor to intimate relations.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The novel, Lerner’s shortest to date, is a chamber piece, more compressed and crystallized than any of its predecessors.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Bill’s predecessor gave cities discretion in hiring, firing The law is set to go into effect on July 1.—
Rose Evans
Updated March 30,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While major automakers have tested the technology for years, most efforts have remained at the prototype stage.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Apr. 2026
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What to Know Smart glasses are no longer niche prototypes—the devices have become a multibillion-dollar industry, with models typically priced between $270 and more than $1,000 depending on features and brand.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestor. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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