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
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Recent Examples of father
Judy Berman, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
But the endeavor is also a way for father and son to bond.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The study, however, was only able to show that a Jefferson family member, not Jefferson specifically, fathered Eston Hemings.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for father
Noun
Bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile aimed wrathful lyrics and gallows humor at a culture of misogyny that plagued their daily lives, from condescending male musicians to abusive fathers.
—Judy Berman, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
But the endeavor is also a way for father and son to bond.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
The seven-episode miniseries follows four sisters who suspect that their father might be having an affair — and might also have fathered a child with the other woman.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The study, however, was only able to show that a Jefferson family member, not Jefferson specifically, fathered Eston Hemings.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for father
Recent Examples of Synonyms for father
Noun
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Even better, however, were some smaller numbers that went his way Saturday when the Mustangs hosted Oswego East, where his dad Terrell is a sophomore coach and varsity assistant.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Interestingly the pool scene, where Kevin loses his dad’s massive swim trunks while bombing in the pool, was filmed at the Four Seasons Chicago – the Plaza Hotel doesn’t have an indoor pool.—
Adam Turner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Fragrance stacking, also known as layering means mixing scents to create your own custom blend according to Almira Armstrong, founder of Lumira.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
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Peter Johnson is the founder of Archway Defense, a company that has trained state, local and federal law enforcement in firearms for the past decade.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The gift is fitting, not just because Farley runs Ford, but his maternal grandfather, Emmet Tracy, was an early Ford employee who built Model T's.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
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In 1993, Tom and his wife, Cathy, welcomed a son, making Knotts a grandfather for the first time.—
Katie Mannion,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kiko sired two calves, with a third due early this year.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
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The Gallant Fox — named for the 1930 winner and the only Triple Crown champion to sire another Triple Crown champion — is Peake’s recommendation.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Ares, while Alexander Skarsgård promoted his BDSM rom-com Pillion by going full leather daddy—including a pair of thigh-high leather Saint Laurent boots.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
30 Dec. 2025
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And my daddy would go in and talk awhile.—
David Searcy,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Vacuum Bags for Travel TikTok creators swear by vacuum-seal bags for squeezing more clothing into a carry-on.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Jan. 2026
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That’s the pithy one-liner that menswear creator Elliot Duprey’s followers will sometimes parrot back to him on the streets of New York, after recognizing him from his videos.—
Ashley Ogawa Clarke,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The issue is also deeply personal for Hall—his tribal council has granted and rescinded his own enrollment, all based on evolving interpretations of old documents about an ancestor.—
David Treuer,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
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The results show that the earliest lizard ancestors almost certainly lacked the armor altogether, with the trait remaining absent for tens of millions of years after lizards first evolved.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the newsletter era, each and every publication spawns a community unto itself.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
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The mayor’s roots from his mother’s side is from post-independent India while his father’s side goes back to undivided British India, an entity that spawned three separate countries in the post war era including two, India and Pakistan, that have been continually at war since their birth.—
Vijay Dandapani,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/father. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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