earl

noun

Definition of earlnext
as in duke

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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 earl On Tuesday night, members of the upper chamber dropped objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited seats in Parliament along with their aristocratic titles. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026 Romance between restless second son Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), the illegitimate daughter of an earl who comes to work as a maid for the Bridgerton family, bucked Regency-era societal conventions. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026 As Sophie Baek, the illegitimate daughter of an earl who comes to work for the Bridgerton family, Ha’s wardrobe is often limited to a maid uniform. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026 Behind the mask is Sophie, the daughter of an earl who has been forced to become a servant by her cruel stepmother. — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earl
  1. duke
  2. viscount
  3. marquess
  4. baron
  5. baronet
  6. prince
  7. margrave
  8. esquire
Noun
  • But Buckingham Palace staff are reportedly unhappy again about the idea of accommodating the duke.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • The duke returned to his home country Monday, July 6, but has spent much of this week alone, after his plans to bring wife Meghan, 44, and their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to London were canceled amid a falling out over security.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of duke
Noun
  • Under the law, the remaining earls, viscounts and dukes who inherited their seats in the chamber along with their aristocratic titles will leave Parliament for good when the current session concludes this spring.
    — Peter Weber, TheWeek, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Members of the upper chamber dropped their objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited their seats in the House of Lords, The Associated Press reported.
    — Jared Gans, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of viscount
Noun
  • The marquess, however, decided not to buy the painting, which belongs to a private collection and, before now, has only ever been on public display once.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The agreement with the marquess allows Kays to take up to 25,000 tons of granite off the island by 2050.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of marquess
Noun
  • Spector plays railroad baron George Russell in HBO’s The Gilded Age; the show’s fourth season is slated to premiere in the fall.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026
  • The writer and former white supremacist Richard Hanania was once the toast of MAGA-curious tech barons and reactionary intellectuals.
    — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026
Definition of baron
Noun
  • Connie is married to a baronet, Clifford, who has been made impotent by a war wound, and Mellors is the gamekeeper on Clifford’s estate, Wragby.
    — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • The baronet wanders around his castle numb on heroin, reeling from his spectacular flameout as CEO of Lumi and the recent loss of his seat in Parliament.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of baronet
Noun
  • The Targaryen prince does not order his own dragon to pursue.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier, sources told CNN that the crown prince raised concerns over plans to strike Iran during the call.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of prince
Noun
  • Two funerals will be held for the late margrave — one open to the public, and another private service.
    — Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 30 Dec. 2022
  • Karl Max Heinrich Sixtus Xavier Felix Renatus Ludwig Gaetan Pius Ignatius, and his titles included king of Hungary and Bohemia, margrave of Moravia, and grand prince of Transylvania.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2022
Definition of margrave
Noun
  • These men were called squires for most of the Middle Ages, but esquire began to appear in the 15th century.
    — Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2022
Definition of esquire

Browse Nearby Words

earfuls
earl
earlier
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Cite this Entry

“Earl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earl. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earl

Nglish: Translation of earl for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earl

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