elder

1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 The teens’ videos, while at times factually questionable, highlight a desire among some to avoid the chronic illnesses and other conditions that have plagued their elders. Natalie Proulx, New York Times, 15 May 2025 Douglas is beguiling enough with her humorous, spunky performance, and MacCormac capably keeps up with her; Will Sasso and Kevin Durand are welcome supporting players as a few of the oddly aggressive town elders. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 9 May 2025 Charlotte glanced toward her elders before offering a final wave. Janine Henni, People.com, 5 May 2025 Many Appalachian community elders and historians invoked the history—and imagination—of pack horse librarians who paved the way. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 3 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
Noun
  • This shift marks a generational change in how adult content is consumed.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 5 June 2025
  • The study, detailed this week in the journal Scientific Reports, found that a slight majority (57.1 percent) of adult chimpanzees observed would yawn in response to seeing the android head yawn.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • After Massey’s death, it was revealed that Grayson previously worked for five law enforcement agencies and had been the subject of citizen complaints and criticism from superiors who questioned his competence.
    Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
  • In interviews, the soldiers complained of lack of leave, corruption among superiors and the indifference of their compatriots.
    Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • Now is the time to stand up for every American’s First Amendment right to tell their story, to dissent from the government’s world view, to celebrate the resilience and fortitude of ancestors who fought for their rights and their culture in this country.
    John Leguizamo, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
  • Names carry the legacy of our ancestors, the history of our culture, and the desires of our parents.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • The argument that Trump has violated the 10th Amendment is a clever subversion of a line of thinking that has traditionally been backed by conservative judges, said Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law.
    Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • Pesticides are unique among chemicals, though, says Melissa Perry, an environmental epidemiologist and dean of George Mason’s College of Public Health.
    Matt Fuchs, Time, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Who among us oldsters doesn’t enjoy a good VFX-costume parlay?
    Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
  • 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
  • In a Reddit post, the woman's employee exposed her boss's shortcomings by simply following instructions.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
  • Gavi has no doubts about Luis Enrique’s standing in the game, and is also eternally grateful to his former national team boss.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • But the past couple of years have seen the team replace veterans with younger alternatives who offer greater positional versatility.
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 8 June 2025
  • Alex Caruso, one of the team’s veterans, was a bench guy, until he was tasked with defending Nikola Jokić during the Thunder’s series against the Denver Nuggets, and did about as good a job as anyone has ever done of shutting Jokić down.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • The conclusions and recommendations: · Make basic geriatrics training and methods standard for physicians, nurses, and other health care providers.
    Sara Zeff Geber, PhD, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024
  • Related Articles From 1980 to 1999, Dr. Taler led the geriatrics care and house call medicine team at the University of Maryland Medical Center and served on the Maryland Medical School faculty.
    Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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