1
as in dowagers
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 ladies
a woman of high birth or social position
the lords and dames of the shire eagerly awaited the royal visit
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Recent Examples of dames
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
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dames
Noun
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Because there were usually more competitors than slots in the final show, cowboys and cowgirls competed in qualifying rounds to determine the top seven finalists in each event, such as steer wrestling and ladies’ barrel racing.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
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If only more young ladies did the same!—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Instead of kings and queens cunningly maneuvering their armies against their enemies, there’s only an ox of a man and a bald little boy, neither of whom exhibits a clearly superior intellect.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Jan. 2026
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The trend began in the 1920s with singer Josephine Baker (the most popular Black female star of the 1920s) and 1930's Betty Boop, both of whom Mallet declares the queens of the kiss curl.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dames.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dames. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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