father 1 of 2

noun

ˈfä-t͟hər How to pronounce father (audio)
Definition of fathernext
1
as in dad
a male human parent the special relationship that exists between fathers and sons

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2
as in founder
a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor Sir Isaac Newton is regarded by many as the father of modern science

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in grandfather
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent our fathers founded this nation on the fundamental belief that no person is entitled to rule by divine right

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in Lord
capitalized the being worshipped as the creator and ruler of the universe let us ask humbly for the blessings of our Father in heaven

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father

2 of 2

verb

as in to sire
to become the father of Paul Revere somehow found room in his small house for the large family he had fathered

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of father
Noun
In Yorba Linda, the father of a 12-year-old was charged after the child was injured while riding a modified e-motorcycle. — Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 His father played banjo and saxophone while his mother played piano, per Concord. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Verb
Prosecutors also alleged King fathered a child through an extra-marital affair and threatened the child’s mother to keep quiet. — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026 There is a quiet revolution going on in America, and definitely in Atlanta, in how contemporary men are fathering. — Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for father
Recent Examples of Synonyms for father
  1. dad
  2. founder
  3. grandfather
  4. sire
  5. daddy
  6. creator
  7. ancestor
  8. spawn
Noun
  • Indi Star plays Violet Angel, who grew up on a farm and recently suffered a head injury due to a fall on her dad’s tractor, which leads to some comically forgetful moments.
    — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
  • The Goodfellas actor is also dad to Drena, 54; Raphael, 49; 30-year-old twins Julian and Airyn; Elliot, 28; and Helen, 14, all from previous relationships.
    — Adrianne Reece, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Definition of dad
Noun
  • Fawaz briefly brought me up to date on Singer’s story, which stretches back to 2008 when founder Rob Dickinson started working on his own 1969 Porsche 911E in Los Angeles.
    — Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Rounding out the Dialogues latest additions is Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, founders of Killer Films, also in conversation in Toronto.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
Definition of founder
Noun
  • Collinson was introduced to Running 4 Heroes through his grandfather, Richard Collinson, who was a former volunteer EMS chief for Linwood Rescue Squad in South Jersey.
    — Elijah Megginson, AJC.com, 31 July 2026
  • Selling the place was impossible until the siblings could figure out what to do with their grandfather’s stuff, which wasn’t the usual matter of donating a few boxes and holding an estate sale.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 July 2026
Definition of grandfather
Verb
  • Gun Runner’s stable still has the brass nameplate of its former occupant, legendary 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, who also sired an impressive line of runners.
    — Graham Cornwell, New York Times, 19 June 2026
  • He was brought to the United States that year, and has since sired four calves.
    — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026
Definition of sire
Noun
  • That had come out somewhere in between the baby drama and the daddy-ramming drama.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 23 July 2026
  • But the scene-stealer is Froseth’s hungry-eyed striver, a comic sexpot with her own Marilyn Monroe-esque daddy issues.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of daddy
Noun
  • SponsorshipX later cited Scott by name as one of the creators whose FIFA access marked a turning point in how the organization treats creators relative to traditional press.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The zine represents a true labor of love for its creator, Greg Longstreet — and a way of celebrating and extending his family’s multigenerational history in the entertainment industry.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 July 2026
Definition of creator
Noun
  • At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
  • All across the United States, federal soldiers rounded up our Native American ancestors like cattle, pushing them into prison camps, many of which later became reservations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of ancestor
Verb
  • It was supposed to be a heartwarming tale of triumph, but its making has spawned a saga of its own.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • That outbreak spawned nearly two dozen tornadoes statewide and is remembered as the fifth-largest outbreak in state history.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 21 July 2026
Definition of spawn

Phrases Containing father

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father
fathered
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Cite this Entry

“Father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on father

Nglish: Translation of father for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about father

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