father 1 of 2

noun

ˈfä-t͟hər How to pronounce father (audio)
Definition of fathernext
1
as in dad
a male human parent the special relationship that exists between fathers and sons

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2
as in founder
a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor Sir Isaac Newton is regarded by many as the father of modern science

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in grandfather
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent our fathers founded this nation on the fundamental belief that no person is entitled to rule by divine right

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4
as in Lord
capitalized the being worshipped as the creator and ruler of the universe let us ask humbly for the blessings of our Father in heaven

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father

2 of 2

verb

as in to sire
to become the father of Paul Revere somehow found room in his small house for the large family he had fathered

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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 father
Noun
Her father, Tony Montalto, serves on the foundation as the liaison to the victims’ families. — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026 Bobby’s father, Bill Flay, had become Joe Allen’s partner in his eponymous New York City restaurant in 1965 after leaving his job as an attorney. — Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
Before he was arrested and convicted in connection with the 1969 murders of Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Steven Parent, and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, Manson fathered four sons with four different women. — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026 To address the dwindling number of eligible heirs, the revisions allow distant male relatives to be adopted into the imperial family to father future successors. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for father
Recent Examples of Synonyms for father
  1. dad
  2. founder
  3. grandfather
  4. sire
  5. daddy
  6. creator
  7. ancestor
  8. spawn
Noun
  • The son became an officer himself this June, wearing his dad's badge number.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Things like my grandfather’s grand piano and library were given to my dad and are still in his house.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of dad
Noun
  • Stelly and Black Mandala co-founder Michael Kraetzer negotiated the agreement on Anatomica Films’ behalf.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Manjusha Kulkarni is co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate and executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance, two advocacy groups that rely on census counts of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
    — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of founder
Noun
  • This makes Gladden and Gaetti, who were pillars of the Minnesota Twins’ 1987 title team, grandfathers to the couple’s two boys, Luca, 9, and Malone, 5.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Things like my grandfather’s grand piano and library were given to my dad and are still in his house.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of grandfather
Verb
  • Somebody fell out of love — a complaint sired this inspection.
    — David J. Neal July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • Gun Runner’s stable still has the brass nameplate of its former occupant, legendary 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, who also sired an impressive line of runners.
    — Graham Cornwell, New York Times, 19 June 2026
Definition of sire
Noun
  • She’s traumatized after witnessing her mother’s murder — and has daddy issues!
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Yet these survivors are so hard-wired to be fearful of their neighbors that Hig and Cima’s rusty, tentative flirtation takes place under the gaze of her daddy’s gun, a heck of a chaperone.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of daddy
Noun
  • The Schenley Plaza market will continue on the first Sunday of each month through October, giving shoppers several more chances this season to explore Pittsburgh's growing community of small businesses and independent creators.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Know More The new effort by Crooked Ideas is one of many pushes by progressives to elevate the creator ecosystem in the wake of the 2024 presidential election.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of creator
Noun
  • Patrick Scribner has only limited memories of what, for generations, was home to his ancestors.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The Millers also see the hand of their ancestors in all of this.
    — Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Verb
  • The iconic science fiction series, which has spawned a myriad of spin-offs and feature films (not to mention all the merch), has inspired countless engineers, scientists and space fans over six decades.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The era also spawned a spate of straight-to-video series like Girls Gone Wild and The Best of Backyard Wrestling, advertised heavily on the outer fringes of cable and late night TV.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of spawn

Phrases Containing father

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father
fathered
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Cite this Entry

“Father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about father

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