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
Scott Eastwood recalls being raised by his famous father, actor-director Clint Eastwood. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026 And feed, because, in the father's estimate, 99% of the problems his children brought him were hunger in disguise. — Laurel Donnellan, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
Roughly 10 years earlier, Cleveland—who did not marry until 1886—had fathered a child with Maria Halpin, a widow. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 June 2026 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 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
  • All four traveled with mom and dad to the 2018 Australian Open, where Federer participated in the Kids Tennis Day event.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • His dad — a longtime coach and the author of a hitting manual — is a Cubs season ticket holder who has been taking him to games for almost as long.
    — Chris Placek, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of dad
Noun
  • Erik Tegner, a journalist and founder of the conservative publication Frontières, was confronted after leaving a bar with friends on Wednesday night.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Rick Doblin, the founder and president of MAPS, had identified, decades earlier, that veterans, as a sympathetic constituency, were the surest route to bipartisan support.
    — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of founder
Noun
  • Authorities have yet to determine how the teenager gained access to the weapon, a handgun that police said belonged to his grandfather.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Milinsky, a 79-year-old Pompano Beach grandfather, was the second person in Florida to enroll in treatment with Kisunla, an anti-amyloid medication developed by Eli Lilly.
    — Lauren Pastrana, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of grandfather
Verb
  • Somebody fell out of love — a complaint sired this inspection.
    — David J. Neal July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of sire
Noun
  • My daddy’s house is down the road from the studio, because that studio is on my dad’s land.
    — Ivie Ani, VIBE.com, 30 July 2026
  • That had come out somewhere in between the baby drama and the daddy-ramming drama.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 23 July 2026
Definition of daddy
Noun
  • Architect Francisco Urcola, icon and creator of San Sebastián’s Victoria Eugenia Theater and the Monumental Bullring in Seville, designed this place.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In Detroit, El-Sayed posed for photos and participated in interviews with content creators at a backyard pool party before a final rally with supporters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of creator
Noun
  • Those with the funds to file a court case, essentially suing the Italian state for sexism against their female ancestors, are likely to win, but legal action is lengthy and costly.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Therefore, this benefit must reach everyone, not only those whose ancestors match the reference sets from past decades.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Verb
  • Journey in Satchidananda became one of the unlikely inspirations for this aesthetic, which, through labels like Creed Taylor’s CTI and Bob Thiele’s Flying Dutchman, in turn spawned an array of related new genres—smooth jazz, soft jazz, fusion.
    — Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The hit series has spawned multiple spinoffs that have aired internationally, including a kids’ edition in Spain.
    — Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of spawn

Phrases Containing father

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fatheads
father
fathered
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Cite this Entry

“Father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father. Accessed 10 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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