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
There’s an urge to reconnect with our heritage, and people are undertaking ancestry pilgrimages, combining boots-on-the-ground investigation into family trees and searching for documents in town halls, with discovering the places our ancestors used to call home.
—
Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Gibson is passionate about introducing fans to underrepresented voices and tipping her cap to the mothers, grandmothers, and other ancestors who inspired us all along the way.
—Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
The recent discovery of rock art in a cave in Indonesia might signify more than just our ancestors’ artistic ability.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 28 Jan. 2026
Some of them were my ancestors.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Event highlights include a Children’s Legacy Parade, where kids dress in their ancestors’ pioneer-era clothing of 1847 and march around the Old Town Plaza, honoring their ancestors courage and service.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2026
Anna is a misunderstood sixth-grade girl who communicates with the ghosts of her Jewish ancestors.
—Penny Schwartz, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
For example, of the three priests who came here many centuries ago to fast and meditate—and who are considered the ancestors of the locals.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Not only that, but the ancestors of today’s marsupials landed their leaps while growing much larger than their descendents.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Gibson is passionate about introducing fans to underrepresented voices and tipping her cap to the mothers, grandmothers, and other ancestors who inspired us all along the way.
—Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
The recent discovery of rock art in a cave in Indonesia might signify more than just our ancestors’ artistic ability.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 28 Jan. 2026
Some of them were my ancestors.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Event highlights include a Children’s Legacy Parade, where kids dress in their ancestors’ pioneer-era clothing of 1847 and march around the Old Town Plaza, honoring their ancestors courage and service.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2026
Anna is a misunderstood sixth-grade girl who communicates with the ghosts of her Jewish ancestors.
—Penny Schwartz, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
For example, of the three priests who came here many centuries ago to fast and meditate—and who are considered the ancestors of the locals.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Not only that, but the ancestors of today’s marsupials landed their leaps while growing much larger than their descendents.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestors
Noun
-
My grandfathers had both been miners whose early deaths owed much to their working lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And the same impressive nature was true of both women's grandfathers, says Jones.—
Alex Ross,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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Like these forerunners, the pleasures of Knight’s A Thousand Blows, which premiered all six episodes of its second season on Hulu Friday, lies in looking back on that thin sliver of time, about 15 years ago, when anachronistic old-timey crime was in vogue.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Some are sons named after fathers such as Hall of Famers Earl Averill, Eddie Collins, Tony Gwynn, Vladimir Guerrero, Tim Raines, Ed Walsh and their sons, or Ken Griffey and his Hall of Famer son.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The results reveal a previously unknown pathway for building protein precursors that does not require liquid water—long thought to be essential—that can operate in the extreme conditions of interstellar space.—
Victoria Corless,
Space.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Something that this new reality is forcing all of us to contemplate is whether or not any of the Oscar precursors — the award shows that precede the Oscars, and often claim to predict them — still provide any real sense of where the Academy is headed.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The striking look, which models wore in tones of white, pink, and violet, was a sweet nod to one of Anderson’s predecessors, John Galliano.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2026
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The question is, will the new class of lawmakers finish what their predecessors started?—
Julie Watts,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestors. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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