1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

fatherly

adjective

Definition of fatherlynext
as in motherly

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar 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 fatherly In the wake of Soldier Boy’s resurrection, Homelander is desperate to earn some fatherly affection. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026 Delroy Lindo then enveloped him in a fatherly embrace. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2026 Beneath the hum of fluorescent lights, Juvenile pauses mid-negotiation, flips his camera, and offers a grin that feels equal parts fatherly pride and rap-legend cool. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 24 Feb. 2026 Mychal’s fatherly intuition, influenced by all those years in NBA arenas and practice gyms, proved correct. — Joe Vardon, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fatherly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatherly
  1. motherly
  2. brotherly
  3. sisterly
  4. sentimental
Adjective
  • An architectural historian who specializes in 19th-century Turkish interiors, Sedef Piker is a supporting character on the stream — occasionally popping up in the background with some mezze or motherly wisdom.
    — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The 22-year-old, who attended the premiere with her mom and siblings, also spoke to the outlet about Ringwald’s motherly advice.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of motherly
Adjective
  • Their brotherly bond faced challenges when 17-year-old Harper was sentenced to life in prison for taking the life of their abuser.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Getz enjoys getting brotherly advice from Hoyer, who executed his own semi-rebuild in 2021 and worked under Theo Epstein on the 2012 Cubs rebuild that ignited the trend across baseball.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of brotherly
Adjective
  • Kidman and Bullock’s sisterly chemistry, the nearly all-female cast, the camp value, and the film’s lore trickling out over the years have also contributed to a recent resurgence of interest.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Here, in a characteristically unfiltered chat between Alix and Ashtin for InStyle, their sisterly bond—decidedly tender beneath the teasing—plays out in real time.
    — Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sisterly
Adjective
  • Call me sentimental, but an epiphany at a table can linger for a long time.
    — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Over the 28 years since its release, the original Practical Magic, despite its dismal reviews and middling box-office reception, has accrued a sentimental affection from fans.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sentimental

Browse Nearby Words

fatherless
fatherly
father (on)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fatherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatherly. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All