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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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
The strike destroyed three floors of the apartment block with Cherri’s father and mother, Mahmoud Naim Cherri and Nadira Hayek, as well as a domestic worker employed by the couple, Birki Negesa, among the seven civilians who were killed. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026 After tracing the same woodland route that Kino used to enjoy with her father, Kai books an appointment and heads to the remote clinic—housed right within the girls’ old family home. — James Marsh, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
The analysis found the odds that Jefferson fathered neither Madison Hemings nor Eston Hemings were less than one in 1,000. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 His friend Jaymes Foster, with whom Aiken fathered a son in 2008, came into his bedroom. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Sep. 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
  • Escapism of yore My anxiety around reading has snowballed since becoming a dad in 2024.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
  • As a kid, Pulido played music with his high school mariachi and ended up in his dad’s band Los Clásicos.
    — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of dad
Noun
  • Patricia Wenskunas, founder of the California advocacy nonprofit Crime Survivors, which opposed the abolition of the death penalty, criticized Newsom's decision.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Anthony Wood, the founder of Roku and previously its chairmand CEO, will become a member of the Fox board and serve as co-chair alongside Cheesbrough.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of founder
Noun
  • There’s non-kaiju human death, too, including a flashback to the immediate aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing in which a bloodied grandfather discovers the charred remains of his daughter and grandson.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
  • His father and grandfather were involved in the case of Pete Pianezzi, a friend who was wrongfully convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting and killing of a gambler and busboy in Los Angeles in 1937.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of grandfather
Verb
  • Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Qatar’s founding emir, sired 56 children.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Breeders could now use genetically valuable Holstein bulls more widely, and through artificial insemination, a single bull could sire more than 50,000 daughters.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of sire
Noun
  • My daddy wouldn’t stand for that, so daddy got a steel bear trap and set it for Ripper.
    — Jack Wingate as told to John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2026
  • On his second day of daddy duty, Peter takes little Arlo to brunch at the glitterati staple Balthazar.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of daddy
Noun
  • The company is also hoping to build a business around training the next generation of creators.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Churchill took the idea to Gilded Age showrunner and creator Julian Fellowes as well as HBO head of drama Francesca Orsi and CEO Casey Bloys.
    — Alex Zalben, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of creator
Noun
  • Throughout the region, remains of 5,500 ancestors that were displaced have been made available for return to the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to ProPublica’s NAGPRA database.
    — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Today, this Chilean territory is essentially an open-air archaeological museum, with many of its enigmatic moai (representations of Polynesian ancestors) returned to their upright positions following seven decades of restoration.
    — Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Verb
  • Today’s IndyCar bosses could use a bit of the creativity that spawned the PPG Pace Cars.
    — Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Both of those are done by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, although some inspections spawn from customer complaints.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of spawn

Phrases Containing father

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Cite this Entry

“Father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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