elder

noun

Definition of eldernext
1
as in senior
a person of advanced years in that Asian society elders are accorded great respect

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superior
one who is above another in rank, station, or office as your elder in the company, he is within his rights to tell you what to do

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3
as in ancestor
one who is older than another it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders

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4
as in dean
the senior member of a group as the elder of the contingent of living former presidents, he was accorded a place of highest honor at the ceremonies

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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 elder Fawn Youngbear-Tibbetts, the group's executive director, said then that recordings of elders' stories on old tapes were likely melted. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 The day of the shooting, after Roberts took his own life at the scene, while the victims were flown to the nearest hospital, an Amish elder publicly forgave Roberts before the news cameras. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 Mark Strickland, an elder with the church, said a member of the congregation was one of the people who saw the fire early Wednesday morning. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 Ethnographic accounts from native elders describe how during unique warm-water events in late summer, people voyaged out at night into the fjords, aided by natural bioluminescent plankton. — Torben Rick, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
  1. oldster
  2. superior
  3. ancestor
  4. dean
  5. geriatric
  6. boss
  7. veteran
  8. ancient
Noun
  • Enough with the oldsters, what about those kids?
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
  • With each passing day, its oldster cast — including Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Geena Davis — is closer to the grave.
    — Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Definition of oldster
Noun
  • While in the patrol, Veckey had raised concerns about detention conditions with his superiors, who repeatedly dismissed the issue.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • West Point implemented a rule in early 2025 that sought to bar civilian and military professors from publishing papers, speaking at conferences or appearing on podcasts without seeking approval from superiors.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of superior
Noun
  • Throughout the region, remains of 5,500 ancestors that were displaced have been made available for return to the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to ProPublica’s NAGPRA database.
    — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Today, this Chilean territory is essentially an open-air archaeological museum, with many of its enigmatic moai (representations of Polynesian ancestors) returned to their upright positions following seven decades of restoration.
    — Mark Johanson, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • In response to a request for comment, Stanford University directed Drilled and ProPublica to former law school dean Paul Brest, who led a committee that reviewed energy research funding at the school.
    — Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Hahn previously served as the dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Arizona for seven years and worked at the University of Florida for 21 years before that.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of dean
Noun
  • The hospital complex in San Francisco was ranked top nationally in several specialties as well, including geriatrics, pulmonology — the treatment of respiratory conditions — and lung surgery.
    — Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The report rated hospital performance in 14 specialties or specialty areas, ranging from cancer to geriatrics to urology.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of geriatric
Noun
  • But not all their mass gets glommed together to form the final black hole boss.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Other recent hirings from beyond college sports have included former Pac-12 boss George Kliavkoff, current Big Ten leader Tony Petitti and NCAA president Charlie Baker.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of boss
Noun
  • The Cubs’ World Series MVP praised the mix of hungry veterans and young guys looking to win their first title.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Randle’s wife has her circle of friends nearby, and the veteran forward has his own community outside basketball.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of veteran
Noun
  • The exhibit features several dozen dinosaur animatronics that fully loom and roar, and a virtual aquarium stocked with swimming ancients.
    — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 21 May 2026
  • Sitting alone among these ancients can be a profound experience.
    — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025
Definition of ancient

Phrases Containing elder

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el cheapo
elder
elderliness
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Cite this Entry

“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on elder

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elder

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