1
as in dad
a male human parent
the special relationship that exists between fathers and sons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Based on the novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Long Lance’s maternal grandfather was a North Carolina state senator who visited Carson’s plantation often and fathered Sallie and another child with Adeline.
—David Treuer, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for father
Noun
The suspect is the father of three of the victim’s seven children.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Based on the novel by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Nonetheless, none fathered children, meaning Hitler’s bloodline will indeed definitively end after this generation.
—Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Long Lance’s maternal grandfather was a North Carolina state senator who visited Carson’s plantation often and fathered Sallie and another child with Adeline.
—David Treuer, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for father
Recent Examples of Synonyms for father
Noun
-
And that graduate school level of basketball knowledge Cronin talked about receiving from his dad?—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Billy Ray Cyrus, Cyrus’ real-life and TV dad who played Robby Ray Stewart on the series, reunites with Cyrus in a replica of the Stewart family living room.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After celebrating Thrive Art District’s ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month, brothers Jonathan and Abraham Fish, Thrive ‘s co-founders and developers, said the idea was to bring something different to Fort Lauderdale.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Conceived by Scott Sartiano, founder of Manhattan’s private members’ club Zero Bond, the restaurant naturally inherits that sense of insider allure.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Democratic Party’s shift since JFK What would his grandfather make of all this?—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Trump’s own paternal grandfather, Friedrich, originally came from Germany in 1885.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Morobe sired two daughters as part of a breeding program.—
Jack Perry,
The Providence Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Spike had sired three elephant calves at other zoos, but none survived.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Listen, be the whitest, most suburban, rich daddy white girls listening to New Detroit.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
-
How many deferments did his daddy get for him?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There is a small but growing trend of content creators launching congressional campaigns.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The video shows the creator eating eggs, sausage and other buffet items at an unnamed location.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
People whose ancestors ate a lot of endosperm have extra copies of the genes that make starch‑digesting enzymes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
In my last visit to my village, my mother asked me to scrape some soil into my hands and whisper a prayer to my ancestors.—
Chinonso Ihekire,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Spotty insurance coverage and robust competition have spawned a marketplace where cash is king -- and prices are falling.—
CHRISTOPHER ROWLAND THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
-
To Kitsui’s surprise, the jellyfish spawned every 20 hours on their own, without a specific cue.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
