as in elder
the senior member of a group
the dean of the Aspen ski instructors oversaw the training of the rescue team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dean
Also, there are academic department consolidations under discussion with deans and faculty, the provost wrote.
—
Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Jason Harris, who serves as the associate dean for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at Purdue, stated that the experience provided by the Alpha-E equips students with the technical skills necessary for the evolving energy sector.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
As of March 12, Smith is still listed on the church's website as its dean.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Davis’ decision to forgo a 16th term in Congress set off a frenzy among hopefuls eager to run without worrying about beating an incumbent, one known as the dean of the Illinois House delegation.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dean
Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
Jason Harris, who serves as the associate dean for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at Purdue, stated that the experience provided by the Alpha-E equips students with the technical skills necessary for the evolving energy sector.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
As of March 12, Smith is still listed on the church's website as its dean.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Davis’ decision to forgo a 16th term in Congress set off a frenzy among hopefuls eager to run without worrying about beating an incumbent, one known as the dean of the Illinois House delegation.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dean
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dean
Noun
-
Not a passive one staring at a monitor in another state, but an active presence — someone who notices the unlocked window, who hears the footstep on the porch, who understands that an elder’s sudden confusion might signal a urinary tract infection.—
Neal K. Shah,
Boston Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Tribal youths worked with elders to harvest tule — a stalky plant native to California’s wetlands — and use it to build traditional boats.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Alexander, a 31-year-old TCU product, is a seven-year big league veteran who signed with his hometown team this winter.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
After a catastrophic debris strike destroys their shuttle during a spacewalk, Sandra Bullock’s astronaut is left untethered, spinning silently against the vastness of space, while George Clooney’s veteran astronaut tries to guide her from a distance.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Larijani is also close with former President Hassan Rouhani, who can be brought in from the cold as the doyen of the regime’s West-facing faction.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Buñuel, Bergman, Éric Rohmer, Satyajit Ray, Miloš Forman, and plenty of Andrzej Wajda and Miklós Jancsó—the Hungarian doyen of the long take.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The franchise’s elder statesmen understand that Jokic is an inextricable aspect of any conversation about Murray’s developing legacy.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Boasting 14 years of NBA experience, Middleton joins Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Dwight Powell and Jones as Dallas’ elder statesmen.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Just an incredible display of effort from the Texas senior.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Most of the money went to the nonprofit Viet America Society for a meals program for seniors and the disabled, but only a fraction was spent for that purpose, according to Do’s plea agreement in 2024.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dean. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
