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
However, some species occasionally behave in ways that recall their land-curious evolutionary ancestors.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Your hamburger’s ancestors are extinct.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The Northern Cheyenne chief Little Wolf exemplified this resolve in the 1860s and ’70s, leading his people in many different battles to defend the North Country of his ancestors.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Cats are adept at masking illness, a trait inherited from their wild ancestors where showing weakness could be fatal.
—New Atlas, 1 Apr. 2026
That means that in a world of giant, dangerous predators, rat ancestors found ways to feed, breed, and endure.
—Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Most domestic cats prefer warm, dry environments because their ancestors evolved in desert climates, making cold and wet conditions uncomfortable.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Some reflect on the strength of their ancestors.
—Rachelle Graham, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Claire meets Frank’s ancestors.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Your hamburger’s ancestors are extinct.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The Northern Cheyenne chief Little Wolf exemplified this resolve in the 1860s and ’70s, leading his people in many different battles to defend the North Country of his ancestors.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Cats are adept at masking illness, a trait inherited from their wild ancestors where showing weakness could be fatal.
—New Atlas, 1 Apr. 2026
That means that in a world of giant, dangerous predators, rat ancestors found ways to feed, breed, and endure.
—Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Most domestic cats prefer warm, dry environments because their ancestors evolved in desert climates, making cold and wet conditions uncomfortable.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Some reflect on the strength of their ancestors.
—Rachelle Graham, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Claire meets Frank’s ancestors.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestors
Noun
-
Robert Pelot, the owner of Pelot’s Rexall Pharmacy, said it’s been in his family since one of his great-grandfathers moved to the Bradenton area from Indiana in the late 1800s.—
Amaia Gavica,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Is this the noble cause that our grandfathers would have shed their blood for 85 years ago?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
These were the forerunners of today’s robots.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Our Revolutionary fathers were influenced by the Bible, particularly as Scripture was interpreted through British common law.—
James O. Cunningham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Tisch and John Mara have functioned as the Giants franchise’s controlling owners for their respective families since the passing of their fathers, Bob Tisch and Wellington Mara, in 2005.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Such engravings, which depict the wackily maximalist style à la mode, including oodles of feathers and furbelows, were, in essence, early precursors to modern fashion magazines.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Fixing Li-ion battery limits The method works under ambient conditions and relies on simple precursors.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Samsung Smartphone Deal The Galaxy Z Fold7 redefines the foldable experience by becoming both wider and slimmer than its predecessors, and providing 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage to support its massive 8-inch main screen.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
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The novel, Lerner’s shortest to date, is a chamber piece, more compressed and crystallized than any of its predecessors.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestors. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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