as in exclusive
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1
as in aristocracy
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class
the winners of this science award represent the elite of our high schools
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nobility
the highest class in a society
the country's elite owned or controlled most of the wealth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elite
Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Asif Merchant, 47, a Pakistani national, admitted in trial testimony that he was trained by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to steal documents and arrange political assassinations in the United States.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Emma Graham,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
The new supreme leader, while not a high-ranking cleric, is a close associate of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IGRC) and the regime’s economic elite.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elite
Adjective
Coming out of an elite math degree background and positions at some of the most successful hedge funds in the world, a mindset focused on thinking clearly about potential outcomes comes naturally to her.
—Krysta Escobar, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Asif Merchant, 47, a Pakistani national, admitted in trial testimony that he was trained by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to steal documents and arrange political assassinations in the United States.
—Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
The son joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s most elite military institution, in the late 1980s, serving in the final years of the 1980-88 Iran‑Iraq war, a period that shaped his ties to Iran’s security elite.
—Emma Graham,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
The new supreme leader, while not a high-ranking cleric, is a close associate of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IGRC) and the regime’s economic elite.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elite
Adjective
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Designed for a more exclusive experience, the vessel will host 110 passengers across 54 suites.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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To build up the excitement, AMC Theatres, Cinemark and Fandango have released exclusive movie merchandise — including the popcorn bucket.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On the show, Ha, a maid, meets Bridgerton, whose family is of high-ranking aristocracy, at a masquerade ball, where her identity is concealed by a mask.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
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According to Deirdre Clemente, a fashion and culture historian, the emergence of the suit as the standard for men in the 18th and 19th centuries was itself a rebellion against the ornate, flashy and colorful clothing associated with aristocracy.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The design once enjoyed by Javanese nobility references the sacred Javanese architectural vernacular style of saka guru, which represents the cardinal directions and has spiritual significance too.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
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In the context of the song, though, the ability to withstand suffering takes on a kind of nobility—not as a good in itself but as a sign of perseverance.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Given toads held special significance of toads in many southwestern Chinese cultures, archaeologists had to deduce that the drum carried not only music, but deeper messages and meanings.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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The February special-election results were a further blow.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Bradley finished with 15 points, and Anthony Dell'Orso matched a career-best with six 3-pointers and scored 26 points for the tournament's top seed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Mar. 2026
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Continue reading … AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on baseball bests and nutty nibbles.—
,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The nobles and gentry—the billionaires of Tudor England—made fortunes from the reclaimed monastery lands and created a myth of Henry’s military strength and English pride.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Oct. 2025
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Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Without better reporting, lawmakers and analysts will have to act with incomplete knowledge, essentially guessing effective tax rates based on limited and sometimes misleading reporting.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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By better understanding how the AAC organizes vocal output in budgerigars, researchers hope to gain new insights into human speech disorders, such as aphasia and Parkinson’s disease, which can impair a person’s ability to produce language.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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And how about the 2006 final when Palo Alto stunned Mater Dei 51-47 in Division II in which Jeremy Lin made a 25-foot bank shot from the top of the key.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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His cold-blooded 3-pointer from well beyond the top of the key gave his team the lead in an 8-0 run.—
Buddy Collings,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elite. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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