1
as in adult
a person of advanced years
in that Asian society elders are accorded great respect
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in ancestor
one who is older than another
it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elder
On top of that, child care has become a second mortgage as has caring for your elders.
—
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The practices include the right to hold communal prayer services and other religious ceremonies, to have access to a Native American elder to provide religious guidance and the ability to obtain religious items that express their traditions, including medicine bags and dreamcatchers.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
Kim and Chung, who is Korean-American, reflected on the role of elders in Korean culture and taught the rest of the room the traditions for pouring and receiving drinks in a respectful way.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
Few and far between were the Black elders who would greet you and expect a greeting in return, replaced by young white professionals and families who offered awkward smiles and occasional small talk when forced into proximity.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elder
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The practices include the right to hold communal prayer services and other religious ceremonies, to have access to a Native American elder to provide religious guidance and the ability to obtain religious items that express their traditions, including medicine bags and dreamcatchers.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
Kim and Chung, who is Korean-American, reflected on the role of elders in Korean culture and taught the rest of the room the traditions for pouring and receiving drinks in a respectful way.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026
Few and far between were the Black elders who would greet you and expect a greeting in return, replaced by young white professionals and families who offered awkward smiles and occasional small talk when forced into proximity.
—Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
Noun
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My bedside table was stacked with young-adult novels from popular series such as Secret Seven, Famous Five and Sweet Valley High.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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At the end of the 2025 session, Walz and Democrats agreed after weeks of negotiations with Republican leadership to repeal MinnesotaCare for undocumented immigrant adults in order to reach a budget deal and avoid a government shutdown.—
Mary Murphy,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Around this time, a young Israeli national-security official reached the same conclusion and began urging his superiors to organize an internal coup against Assad.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
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But when Commissioner Marty Makary presented that list for sign-off to the Health and Human Services Department, which oversees the FDA, and to the White House in October, his superiors shot it down, the people said.—
Elaine Chen,
STAT,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This is the gift of our ancestors, the capacity to turn towards a threat and engage with it as part of the strategy of disarming it.—
Susan Raffo,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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Celebrated by over 2 billion people — primarily in East and Southeast Asian cultures — Lunar New Year focuses on family reunions, honoring ancestors and welcoming good fortune and prosperity into the coming year.—
Ashley Opina,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Jahneel Small, chief of staff and special organizing projects for Educators for Excellence, worked as a teacher and dean of students for 17 years.—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
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Prior to becoming interim principal, Misicka was Larkin’s assistant principal of culture and climate for six years and freshman dean of students for two years.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Most oldsters like myself still will probably find revisiting the piece enjoyable.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
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Those devoted to the Charli cause will no doubt get more out of the film than an out-of-touch oldster like myself ever could.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Liberal Democrats who despised Daley as a corrupt big-city boss hailed Jackson as a hero.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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Emma Laird is Shannon, this outwardly confident daughter of a crime boss, who is desperate to find real love.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Stafford, a 17-year veteran, won the award by finishing ahead of New England quarterback Drake Maye in balloting by a panel of 50 journalists who regularly cover the NFL.—
Gary Klein,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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The Seahawks ranked third in total pressures and seventh in sacks this season, thanks to a front seven that includes a rotating set of outside linebackers in veterans DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu and younger pass rushers Derick Hall and Boye Mafe.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 2021, only 10% of medical schools required geriatrics courses, down from 23% in 2005, and only about 38 percent included the training as part of, say, their internal medicine programs.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Janice Grandi is a primary care physician working in geriatrics.—
Janice Grandi,
Mercury News,
24 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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