ELDERS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

elders

noun

plural of elder

as in adults

a person of advanced years in that Asian society elders are accorded great respect

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as in superiors

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

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as in ancestors

one who is older than another it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders

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as in deans

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

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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 elders Siaja also knows this woman is her elder, and elders should be taken care of. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026 Gill and Krukoff separately pushed their way into Indigenous communities, bribing or cajoling elders to forage vines and process toxic plant compounds known as curare. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026 Making Providence’s varsity roster as a freshman forward, Leo Mendoza may have respected his elders a bit too much. — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 The church elders’ comic banter brings the play to life, but a mother-daughter clash over faith, independence and gender politics feels underdeveloped, despite a visually striking production. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 The Nordic communal goal is a focus on holistic well-being that can be sustained over the long term by every individual, from professional athletes in their prime to elders. — Lola Akinmade, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 Beyond absorbing his elders’ influences, LaFarge’s schoolmates were also impactful. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026 Fawn Youngbear-Tibbetts, the group's executive director, said then that recordings of elders' stories on old tapes were likely melted. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Ethnographic accounts from native elders describe how during unique warm-water events in late summer, people voyaged out at night into the fjords, aided by natural bioluminescent plankton. — Torben Rick, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elders

Noun

Those shorts, which will retail for $80 for adults and $55 for kids, will launch next month in 500 Dick’s Sporting Goods stores and online.

— Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026
In the early 1990s, more than 60% of American adults finished at least one book a year; today, fewer than half do.

— Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of adults

Noun

No previous defense secretary has removed such large swaths of the officer corps who honored their oaths to the Constitution and faithfully implemented policies decided by their civilian superiors.

— Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2026
While in the patrol, Veckey had raised concerns about detention conditions with his superiors, who repeatedly dismissed the issue.

— Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of superiors

Noun

Throughout the region, remains of 5,500 ancestors that were displaced have been made available for return to the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to ProPublica’s NAGPRA database.

— Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
What began as a personal offering to her ancestors evolved into a recognizable symbol of cultural visibility across the city.

— Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of ancestors

Noun

On Friday, deans and faculty in academic regalia processed into Alumni Park, where the Trojan Marching Band accompanied the national anthem as temperatures climbed toward the 90s during the nearly two-hour ceremony.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
The university says that Glover, in his position as executive advisor, will work with the gamut of university leadership, including the president, provost and college deans.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of deans

Noun

Leigh and Gable made their grand entrance by limousine, waving to the 300,000 spectators who lined seven miles of streets in downtown Atlanta—including a number of nonagenarian Confederate veterans who were invited as special guests.

— Serena Turner, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
The ceremony, which will occur inside the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, will feature remarks from Dunn, in addition to a special remembrance for area veterans who have passed away over the last year, organizers said.

— Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of veterans

Noun

And the population of seniors will grow at a far faster clip than school-aged children.

— Jennifer Peebles, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
As of 2022, seniors represented less than 15 percent of the city’s population but accounted for approximately 45 percent of pedestrian fatalities.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026