as in deans
the senior member of a group
the elder statesman of the White House correspondents is finally retiring after nearly a half century of service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 statesmen
The Rangers need another strong campaign from the two elder statesmen on the starting staff.
—
Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026
The franchise’s elder statesmen understand that Jokic is an inextricable aspect of any conversation about Murray’s developing legacy.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
Yet the overriding feeling of Light-Years is of two elder statesmen who still have gifts to share.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 13 Dec. 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
Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026
The franchise’s elder statesmen understand that Jokic is an inextricable aspect of any conversation about Murray’s developing legacy.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026
Yet the overriding feeling of Light-Years is of two elder statesmen who still have gifts to share.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 13 Dec. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder statesmen
Noun
-
But if the online tool cannot be turned back on safely, school officials will work with deans, department heads, and instructors regarding alternate ways to end the semester, sharing more information before noon Sunday.—
William Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
Possibly this was the case at élite law schools in the nineteen-nineties, where even the most obdurate deans could not afford to ignore their militant students indefinitely.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
But in an abrupt shift, a new poll released Monday finds young people’s confidence has plummeted over the past two years — while their elders remain more upbeat.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Cox formulated his players-first approach by studying his elders.—
Mark Bradley for the AJC,
AJC.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Public funds are meant to serve the common good — repairing roads, supporting veterans, improving schools, strengthening public safety and protecting programs that millions of working families rely on.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
The new requirements apply to people ages 18 to 64, including veterans and unhoused people.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elder statesmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder%20statesmen. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
