as in elder statesman
the senior member of a group
the revered éminence grise of Civil War historians
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Recent Examples of éminence grise
But none have matched JPMorgan, which, under the leadership of Wall Street’s eminence grise Jamie Dimon, has thrived.
—
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024
Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.
—Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
Matthews is an eminence grise of television news, his pugilistic and red-cheeked persona familiar to viewers from countless election nights.
—BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2020
In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise.
—Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024
Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.
—Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021
Matthews is an eminence grise of television news, his pugilistic and red-cheeked persona familiar to viewers from countless election nights.
—BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2020
In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise.
—Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for éminence grise
Noun
-
Kennard and third-year player Tuli Tuipulotu give the Chargers future options at the position with elder statesmen Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree approaching the twilight of their careers.—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Apr. 2025
-
At Chapter One, Lira, with more than a decade on the job, has become the restaurant’s elder statesman.—
Cindy Carcamo,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The veteran will report on July 22 and the team will hold their first practice the next day.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
-
But after those two veterans, the Panthers’ cornerback room is notably inexperienced.—
Mike Kaye
July 14,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
The shows are also considered a powerful symbol of Puerto Rican self-reliance and the belief that the US territory can stand tall on its own, says Javier J. Hernández Acosta, dean of the School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
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The group’s chair, Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, a kidney specialist who was a former dean at the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school, said in an interview that his organization had worked with the Trump administration and that threats of funding cuts were key to the effort.—
Azeen Ghorayshi,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Two milestones revealed this week illustrate the diminishing power of broadcast television in the media world — one fueled by the habits of young people and the other by their elders.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
16 July 2025
-
In Liberia, as well as among members of the Yoruba people in Nigeria, young people bend their knees slightly or—if the older person is seated—drop to one or both knees to honor their elders.—
Chris Ciolli,
AFAR Media,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“éminence grise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/%C3%A9minence%20grise. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.
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