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
Radicals had somehow gained a foothold, outwitting their elders in an argument over what constituted learning, contesting even such notions as freedom and citizenship.
—
Calmatters, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
An active courtroom, for example, is bedecked with black-and-white portraits of Hmong American elders against artificial-foliage backdrops evoking the lush landscapes of Laos.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2025
Young people are recognizing a simple truth that has evaded their elders: Owning a car is often unnecessary in a city with abundant alternatives.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025
Johnny and Ben are usually depicted as bickering surrogate brothers, the hotheaded youngster and the curmudgeonly elder; Susan is a pragmatic force, with Reed often lost in his own world.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for elder
Calmatters, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
An active courtroom, for example, is bedecked with black-and-white portraits of Hmong American elders against artificial-foliage backdrops evoking the lush landscapes of Laos.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2025
Young people are recognizing a simple truth that has evaded their elders: Owning a car is often unnecessary in a city with abundant alternatives.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025
Johnny and Ben are usually depicted as bickering surrogate brothers, the hotheaded youngster and the curmudgeonly elder; Susan is a pragmatic force, with Reed often lost in his own world.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
Noun
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However, for some children, these behaviors may be an early sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition often thought to affect only older children or adults.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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And among older adults, the need is especially growing.—
Felice J. Freyer,
NPR,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Accessibility and Sustainability There are two room types at the Adler Dolomiti that are wheelchair accessible, the family superior and the double-room superior.—
Tomeka Jones,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Aug. 2025
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So, to settle this debate once and for all, Right sends the question through the neurons to their superior.—
Weike Wang,
New Yorker,
31 July 2025
Noun
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Our harsh winters and gorgeous summers reminded our ancestors of home.—
Jess Fleming,
Twin Cities,
3 Aug. 2025
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The small, rugged truck crossed over into civilian use and is the ancestor of the off-road vehicles and SUVs that patrol suburbs and ferry kids to the frontlines of soccer games.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Honoree Fleming, a retired college dean, was shot dead in October 2023 while walking near her favorite trail near the Vermont State University campus in Castleton, Vt., the Associated Press reported at the time.—
NWA Democrat-Gazette,
Arkansas Online,
8 Aug. 2025
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Blake Fabrikant has seen the benefits of phone-free schools as the dean of students at The Sharon Academy, a small independent high school in Sharon, Vt.—
Charlotte Alter,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Who among us oldsters doesn’t enjoy a good VFX-costume parlay?—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
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Folks back in the day had Yoda as their feisty oldster and the kids now have Maz. 36.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
24 May 2023
Noun
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On Monday morning, league bosses Roger Goodell, Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, and Gary Bettman were asked to participate in a briefing on matters related to the sports broadcasting market, including those having to do with blackout exemptions.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The previous proposal, which involved a game between Barça and fellow Catalan club Girona, was then shelved by the LaLiga boss.—
Patrick Sung,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Something that could easily fall through the cracks is a new version of H.G. Wells' classic tale of sci-fi terror, War of the Worlds, premiering on Amazon Prime, starring Ice Cube, and directed by music video veteran Rich Lee, making his feature film debut.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The veteran rock star and his interior designer wife, Emilie Keuning, subsequently gave the place a full makeover, and, after hitting the market in June with a nearly $14 million ask, the house quickly sold to Pitt at a substantial discount.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Rush specialities ranking among the top 10 in the country include geriatrics and neurology and neurosurgery.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
29 July 2025
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Doctors at the Center for Geriatric Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic have found social prescribing especially valuable for seniors, says Dr. Ardeshir Hashmi, chief of geriatrics.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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