1
as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority
as the grand dames of local society, they determined which charities received support
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2
as in lady
a woman of high birth or social position
the lords and dames of the shire eagerly awaited the royal visit
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dame
Hanoi’s grand dame has since survived bombing raids during the Vietnam War and hosted a who’s who of playwrights, royalty and world leaders.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Along with Elba, this year’s Honors include British comedian, writer, and actor Meera Syal and England women’s football coach Sarina Wiegman, who have been made honorary dames, and British writer Roy Clarke, who was also knighted.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
Dancing on Ice stars and 1984 Gold medalists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean were made a dame and knight respectively for their charity work too.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
McKnight often plays the role of the dame, dressing up in drag.
—Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Along with Elba, this year’s Honors include British comedian, writer, and actor Meera Syal and England women’s football coach Sarina Wiegman, who have been made honorary dames, and British writer Roy Clarke, who was also knighted.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
Dancing on Ice stars and 1984 Gold medalists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean were made a dame and knight respectively for their charity work too.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
McKnight often plays the role of the dame, dressing up in drag.
—Robbie Griffiths, NPR, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dame
Noun
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The show’s underpinned by the differences in character and country of Lady Cora and her formidable mother-in-law, the dowager Countess Violet Crawley, played by the equally formidable and much missed Dame Maggie Smith.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
22 July 2025
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The empress dowager’s legacy Empress Dowager Ling was largely unsuccessful in her bid for power.—
Stephanie Balkwill,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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First lady Eleanor Roosevelt spoke from the church’s pulpit on March 29, 1943, telling those gathered that the right of all people to be considered equal must be preserved in the country’s post-World War II efforts.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The deceased was not a close friend or family member of the lady in question.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Only 40 guests were invited to the wedding, including John’s cousin Anthony Radziwill (who served as his best man); John’s sister, Caroline Kennedy (Carolyn’s matron of honour), and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg; and their kids, Jack (the ring bearer), Rose and Tatiana (both flower girls).—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
7 Mar. 2026
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Everyone's favorite gossip, Adjoa Andoh will return as Lady Danbury, the town's societal matron and unofficial matchmaker.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For consistency, all of the prices reflect queen sizes.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
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Mabel befriends dam-building King George (Bobby Moynihan), runs afoul of an insect queen (Meryl Streep) and meets a ton of critters, from an emoji-loving lizard to a professional killer-for-hire shark.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lang went on to appear in most of Fuller’s films, including playing a rebellious German countess in his 1980 war epic The Big Red One, and several by their friend Wim Wenders.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
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There were so many senior royals still on the roster (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor among them), that Prince Edward and Sophie, countess of Wessex (now the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh) were relatively minor public figures and had yet to see their profiles bloom.—
Stephanie Bridger-Linning,
Vanity Fair,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dame. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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