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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The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, contains historic butterfly gardens and flora native to the Florida Keys, Cuba and the Caribbean.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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Set the scene In the heart of Center City, W Philadelphia adds a dash of style to the city’s historic landscape.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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These old-world, elegant beauties will thrive in many types of soil, but should be watered during long dry spells and prefer some protection from the afternoon sun.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
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Orient Express, founded in 1883 and part of the Accor Group since 2022, has imbued the behemoth with the old-world glitz and glamour synonymous with its famous trains.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
30 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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That historical egotism fuelled their headiest ambitions.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Over the next 50 years, King authored more than 1,020 decisions and sentenced more than 6,000 defendants, according to historical archives.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
3 May 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
-
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 6 May. 2026.
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