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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
And what started as a way to appreciate the beauty around her evolved into an ability to learn and hear things that her Indigenous ancestors were trying to teach her.
—
Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2025
But what about the many Jews who might have derived a different lesson from the horrors of genocide, and who find their ancestors’ suffering used to justify the infliction of suffering on others to be an intolerable insult?
—Benjamin Moser, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Adding Denisovans to our ancestors’ genetic heritage creates a more complex story.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
Until recently, the ancestors of insects were thought to be more millipede-like and evolved once invertebrates began to live on land.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2025
But what about the many Jews who might have derived a different lesson from the horrors of genocide, and who find their ancestors’ suffering used to justify the infliction of suffering on others to be an intolerable insult?
—Benjamin Moser, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Adding Denisovans to our ancestors’ genetic heritage creates a more complex story.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025
Until recently, the ancestors of insects were thought to be more millipede-like and evolved once invertebrates began to live on land.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestor
Noun
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Given his grandfather’s negative views on homosexuality, Min has not yet discussed being gay with his grandmother.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Her grandfather and great-uncle were both unarmed Black men killed by law enforcement in the Jim Crow era of 1940s East Texas.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Indeed, VistaVision was the forerunner of IMAX 65mm, with its horizontal orientation.—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2025
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The company plans to recreate the mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, by editing the genome of each species’ closest living relative to make a hybrid animal that would be visually indistinguishable from its extinct forerunner.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Frustrated by his father's lack of respect, Brendan again approaches Seraphina with a shady deal.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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Britain's Prince William, son of King Charles III, will attend the funeral on his father's behalf, Kensington Palace said.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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CSAs have often been precursors to broader agreements among countries.—
Ngaire Woods,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
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Many people at Saturday’s protest worried that the ruling could be the precursor to other judgments that diminish the rights of transgender people.—
Kwiyeon Ha and Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This breaks from tradition, as many of Pope Francis' predecessors have been buried inside the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica, Reuters reported.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Before the Papacy As pope, he was noted to have an openness to his decision-making that differed from his papal predecessors.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In the third round range, the Bills generally rely on a prototype for certain positions — defensive end among them — to give their picks the best chance to succeed in the NFL.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Amazon launched two prototype Kuiper satellites in 2023 to set the stage for the Kuiper 1 mission.—
Tariq Malik,
Space.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestor. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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