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
Best Hotels & Resorts Sina Brufani The city’s grand dame, Sina Brufani, was established in 1884, and staying there feels like stepping into a time capsule.
—
Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
And over at The Dusty Bookshelf, there was Dinah, who reigned as the grand dame of Lawrence’s literary cats.
—Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 18 Nov. 2025
This grand dame is an elegant embodiment of everything there is to love about France, from its obsession with gastronomy to its reverence for tradition and style.
—Blane Bachelor, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2025
The pope is also making the King and Queen a knight and dame of the order of Pius IX.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dame
Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
And over at The Dusty Bookshelf, there was Dinah, who reigned as the grand dame of Lawrence’s literary cats.
—Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 18 Nov. 2025
This grand dame is an elegant embodiment of everything there is to love about France, from its obsession with gastronomy to its reverence for tradition and style.
—Blane Bachelor, Robb Report, 13 Nov. 2025
The pope is also making the King and Queen a knight and dame of the order of Pius IX.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 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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After more than a decade of public struggles, 26-year-old Amber Glenn just won her third consecutive US title and will be the oldest US ladies’ singles skater to compete at the Olympics since 1927.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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And, ladies and gentlemen, Duval, you the one.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The style, penned by legendary jewelry designer Jean Schlumberger in the 1960s, has grown from a society matron’s must-have to an intelligent gentleman’s accessory.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
12 Jan. 2026
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Her version of the middle-aged matron was a gentle innocent who faced the world with an unself-conscious enthusiasm.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Cate Blanchett is the queen of a relaxed, textured bob.—
Catharine Malzahn,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
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In some species, ants restructure their nests to slow the transmission of a lethal fungus and in others, ant queens eat infected brood to prevent the spread of disease and recover nutrients.—
Arundathi Nair,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Jeanne-Claude’s parents, a French general and countess, arrived in Petaluma the day before the scheduled completion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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De Saint Sernin’s spring show was inspired by his French nobility roots, specifically his grandmother, who was a countess.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dame. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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