as in dean
the senior member of a group
the elder statesman of the White House correspondents is finally retiring after nearly a half century of service
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Recent Examples of elder statesman
This particular idea has gained traction in part because such elder statesmen have, in fact, played a central role in the party’s history.
—
Deng Yuwen, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
The band received some oddball counsel from elder statesmen of the scene.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
The game’s elder statesman Of course, 29 is much older than 21 — especially in college hoops.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2025
On a day when the last remaining Israeli hostages returned home after two years in captivity, and both Israelis and Palestinians celebrated the end of the Israel-Hamas war, many of America's elder statesmen and stateswomen kept mum.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elder statesman
Deng Yuwen, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
The band received some oddball counsel from elder statesmen of the scene.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
The game’s elder statesman Of course, 29 is much older than 21 — especially in college hoops.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2025
On a day when the last remaining Israeli hostages returned home after two years in captivity, and both Israelis and Palestinians celebrated the end of the Israel-Hamas war, many of America's elder statesmen and stateswomen kept mum.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elder statesman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder statesman
Noun
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Trump’s tariffs have pushed Canada and China to look for opportunities to strengthen international cooperation, said Zhu Feng, the dean of the School of International Studies at China’s Nanjing University.—
Ken Moritsugu,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Nancy La Vigne, dean of the Rutgers-Newark School of Criminal Justice, noted that VR could help inmates practice real-world interactions, including navigating public transportation.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In a world where plenty of rap elders are content to roll out unchallenging albums to steadfast fanbases, still knows how to hold your head underwater.—
Dylan Green,
Pitchfork,
28 Jan. 2026
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Joe Klaas, 46, is one of a fourth generation of descendants of the Baller family elders who founded the place.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Free Home Elementary School in Cherokee County said the two-decade veteran educator and mother of one was placed on administrative leave.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Duties include making sure resident veterans receive the highest standard of medical care, following state laws and meeting specific needs of residents.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elder statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder%20statesman. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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