1
as in grandfathers
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 forerunners
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ancestors
The further in the past your dog has purebred ancestors, the smaller the identical segments matching our reference dataset are.
—
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Being alone would’ve made our ancestors more vulnerable to, say, bears or lions.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
This is the gift of our ancestors, the capacity to turn towards a threat and engage with it as part of the strategy of disarming it.
—Susan Raffo, Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Celebrated by over 2 billion people — primarily in East and Southeast Asian cultures — Lunar New Year focuses on family reunions, honoring ancestors and welcoming good fortune and prosperity into the coming year.
—Ashley Opina, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
From the beginning, Calderon said the firm’s project was rooted in honoring the way their ancestors cultivated cotton without pesticides and with full transparency throughout the supply chain.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
But that doesn’t add much beyond three crusty Báthory ancestors carousing drunkenly in their coffins.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
Life only became intelligent with the rise of large-brained mammals, like us and our direct ancestors.
—Big Think, 17 Feb. 2026
Pabian reflected on learning Lunar New Year traditions as a child in a small apartment off Buford Highway, where family members gathered to honor ancestors in private.
—Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 19 Feb. 2026
Being alone would’ve made our ancestors more vulnerable to, say, bears or lions.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
This is the gift of our ancestors, the capacity to turn towards a threat and engage with it as part of the strategy of disarming it.
—Susan Raffo, Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
Celebrated by over 2 billion people — primarily in East and Southeast Asian cultures — Lunar New Year focuses on family reunions, honoring ancestors and welcoming good fortune and prosperity into the coming year.
—Ashley Opina, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
From the beginning, Calderon said the firm’s project was rooted in honoring the way their ancestors cultivated cotton without pesticides and with full transparency throughout the supply chain.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
But that doesn’t add much beyond three crusty Báthory ancestors carousing drunkenly in their coffins.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
Life only became intelligent with the rise of large-brained mammals, like us and our direct ancestors.
—Big Think, 17 Feb. 2026
Pabian reflected on learning Lunar New Year traditions as a child in a small apartment off Buford Highway, where family members gathered to honor ancestors in private.
—Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestors
Noun
-
Sweet Country was about our grandfathers, who were taken as children to become slaves on cattle stations, on ranches.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Feb. 2026
-
My grandfathers had both been miners whose early deaths owed much to their working lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And these projects may just be the forerunners.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
With little support for the WHO among Republicans — who control both the House and the Senate — there has been no push from Congress to hold the country to the provision set out by their forerunners.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, other fathers may ignore or hurt a litter’s weaker siblings.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Latinx people of conscience recognize our own tios, tias, primos, primas, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in the brown faces being livestreamed with blood and agony pouring into enraged mouths asking for help.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Built from abundant molecular precursors, these polymer systems offer intrinsic structural flexibility alongside tunable electrochemical properties.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Rauschenberg’s approach was not without precursors.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Johnson’s predecessors, former mayors Lori Lightfoot and Rahm Emanuel, also paid their respects in Tuesday statements.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
After all, several of his most immediate predecessors left Wolves feeling that promises made on transfers had not been realised.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestors. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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