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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elite
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2026
Randrianirina, a colonel in an elite army unit, ousted President Andry Rajoelina after a weekslong uprising last year by mainly young Madagascans frustrated with the lack of government services and opportunities in a nation of around 32 million that is beset by poverty.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
For decades, One Fifth Avenue has been home to a long list of A-listers and New York elites.
—India Roby, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elite
Adjective
The sale of a top player to an elite league for a significant sum can be used in recruiting as a player-development success story.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 20 Mar. 2026
Randrianirina, a colonel in an elite army unit, ousted President Andry Rajoelina after a weekslong uprising last year by mainly young Madagascans frustrated with the lack of government services and opportunities in a nation of around 32 million that is beset by poverty.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
At the center is the Hext family, an old-money institution that rules the city’s elite.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
For decades, One Fifth Avenue has been home to a long list of A-listers and New York elites.
—India Roby, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elite
Adjective
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During the afternoon of their opening night exhibit, Thekla and Moriarty arrived at the studio, housing Sunset Flip to discuss and show their artwork featured on the show in this exclusive video interview for Miami Herald.—
James Varsallone,
Miami Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
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Vogue Runway is exclusive to subscribers.—
Irene Kim,
Vogue,
22 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 Gamecocks are new-age nobility in women’s basketball.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Munyak's magic moment LIU's last basket of the night was special for the Sharks and their fans, who all erupted in cheers when Eddie Munyak banked in a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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Fourteen percent of Republican respondents approved of a large-scale invasion, while 63% supported using limited special forces.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But Pickens wants a long-term deal, and 2025 brought lots of career-bests for him in a contract year.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
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All these people in their Sunday best.—
Will Croxton,
CBS News,
15 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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The result was a 9-1 thumping by the Hurricanes that started the Panthers’ 6-11-0 spiral that dropped them from playoff contention and also triggered Carolina’s 12-game point streak that vaulted the team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.—
Cory Lavalette,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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Lale Esquivel’s solo homer led off the top of sixth inning where the Mustangs scored 5 times.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elite. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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