as in historic
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Recent Examples of ancestral
Jahmil Eady – Freaky As gentrifiers take over her neighborhood, a Gullah Geechee woman, Annabelle (Melanie Nicholls-King) calls on ancestral knowledge, which has dire consequences for the newcomers who have begun to take over the land, ignorant of its history.
—
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
The yarns of Joe Turner interweave gradually, everyday chit-chat, bargaining, and flirtation interlocking over time with threads of mysticism — both the ghosts of a brutal history and the ancestral spirits that stand protective and defiant like a phalanx of angels with shining swords.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
After the accident, Nataliia and her sister had taken a walk to say goodbye to their ancestral land.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Chef David Skinner, a member of the Choctaw Nation, holds court behind the counter, marrying modern technique with ancestral knowledge.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ancestral
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
The yarns of Joe Turner interweave gradually, everyday chit-chat, bargaining, and flirtation interlocking over time with threads of mysticism — both the ghosts of a brutal history and the ancestral spirits that stand protective and defiant like a phalanx of angels with shining swords.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
After the accident, Nataliia and her sister had taken a walk to say goodbye to their ancestral land.
—Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Chef David Skinner, a member of the Choctaw Nation, holds court behind the counter, marrying modern technique with ancestral knowledge.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ancestral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestral
Adjective
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During a time not unlike the one that ignited the historic founding of Chicano Park, thousands of people turned out Saturday at the iconic gathering space to celebrate their culture, stoke their heritage and press forward in their struggle.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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The game marks the first time an American football game is played in what is typically the home pitch of several of Brazil’s soccer clubs, including Rio’s wildly popular and historic Fluminense and Flamengo teams.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For old-world flavor, the Antonovka, Cox Orange Pippin, Orleans Reinette, and Seek-no-Further all shine in cider, applesauce, and pies.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
25 Apr. 2026
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Helmed by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth (a one-to-watch having shimmied over from stalwart restaurant, the Angel in Dartmouth), Fowlescombe’s kitchen disregards old-world hotel dining with its stiff formalities, along with the frothy alchemy of the Michelin set.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Summer means movies 🍿 From ancient Greece to a galaxy far, far away, the summer movie season has a blockbuster lineup of epic, sci-fi, superheroes and heroines to draw film fans to theaters.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Each year, the city welcomes many curious visitors to experience the magnetism of ancient tradition meeting futuristic technology head-on.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The menu has evolved over time, but the restaurant has made a point of preserving its old-time charm.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Perhaps the most sensitive matter is Iran, a nation of nasty clerics and old-time belligerents that declared war on America and Israel 47 years ago.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Thousands of photographs and historical documents are stored in archives and the collections section of the museum houses an assortment of memorabilia.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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All three writers turned loving, humorous, piercing gazes on a particular place, exploring, through cycles of plays, the rich humanity and the grave historical wounds of its inhabitants.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Court records show he was charged with being an armed habitual criminal and being a felon in possession of a firearm.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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If the urge is habitual or problematic, certain changes in behavior can help bring it under control.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Senior second baseman Alexis Richter has learned a lot about playing softball from her three older sisters.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The 73-year-old Weinstein kept his eyes trained on Mann throughout her Tuesday testimony, intermittently whispering to his attorney, Teny Geragos.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestral. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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