1
as in dads
a male human parent
the special relationship that exists between fathers and sons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in founders
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 grandfathers
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
as in sires
to become the father of
Paul Revere somehow found room in his small house for the large family he had fathered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fathers
Elle Meier, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Murphy believes the idea is to arrest fathers and cut off income to the family.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
My son has learned to skateboard, become a BMX bike racer through free sponsorship programs, and joined several teams with warm and involved fathers and coaches.
—Allison Irby Vu, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, other fathers may ignore or hurt a litter’s weaker siblings.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
The names were the same, but the numbers were different because this is a baseball story, one that involves the good and the bad of the game, fathers and sons, success and failure, labor disputes, second chances, broken dreams, and generational ties.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Latinx people of conscience recognize our own tios, tias, primos, primas, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in the brown faces being livestreamed with blood and agony pouring into enraged mouths asking for help.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
The source material was a precious one for the 3x Mexican Oscar winner since childhood, his version about the complex relationships of fathers and sons.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
The majority stakes the largest detention initiative in American history on the possibility that … Congress must have wanted these noncitizens detained—some of them the spouses, mothers, fathers, and grandparents of American citizens.
—Ben Fenwick, Oklahoma Watch, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
Rory Elizabeth Katherine Kennedy, 57 Robert and Ethel’s last child, Rory Elizabeth Katherine Kennedy was born on December 12, 1968, six months after her fathers assassination.
—Elle Meier, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Murphy believes the idea is to arrest fathers and cut off income to the family.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
My son has learned to skateboard, become a BMX bike racer through free sponsorship programs, and joined several teams with warm and involved fathers and coaches.
—Allison Irby Vu, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, other fathers may ignore or hurt a litter’s weaker siblings.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
The names were the same, but the numbers were different because this is a baseball story, one that involves the good and the bad of the game, fathers and sons, success and failure, labor disputes, second chances, broken dreams, and generational ties.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Latinx people of conscience recognize our own tios, tias, primos, primas, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in the brown faces being livestreamed with blood and agony pouring into enraged mouths asking for help.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
The source material was a precious one for the 3x Mexican Oscar winner since childhood, his version about the complex relationships of fathers and sons.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
The majority stakes the largest detention initiative in American history on the possibility that … Congress must have wanted these noncitizens detained—some of them the spouses, mothers, fathers, and grandparents of American citizens.
—Ben Fenwick, Oklahoma Watch, 12 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathers
Noun
-
Because everybody has got brothers and sisters and moms and dads and family members.—
Dan Hyman,
Rolling Stone,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Bittersweet for both dads, actually.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On February 18, Ssense’s founders received approval by the Quebec Superior Court to buy out the Canadian retailer.—
Madeleine Schulz,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Banijay is one the founders of the London TV Screenings alongside All3Media, Fremantle and ITV Studios, and the event is now a firm fixture on the international TV calendar.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sweet Country was about our grandfathers, who were taken as children to become slaves on cattle stations, on ranches.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Feb. 2026
-
My grandfathers had both been miners whose early deaths owed much to their working lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The options are vast, ranging from Rita Ora vamping on one station and drunk gay daddies being spotlighted on another.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Some people's mommies and daddies really, really struggle with money, and that is not something to ever make fun of somebody for.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Bloomberg has reported that regulators also are trying to determine whether Netflix has exerted leverage over creators in negotiations when acquiring programming to build its catalog.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The meaning of these markings is a mystery—but a new analysis of the object and hundreds of others found in the same region reveal that the markings may have meant something specific to their ancient creators.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Because of that, cats’ predatory instincts and behaviors are still very close to their wild ancestors.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
27 Feb. 2026
-
That such a film would go on to break the record for most Oscar nominations — with 16 including best film and best director for Coogler — is a fulfillment of the ancestors’ dreams.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Magalon and Santiago link lower budgets to more artistic freedom, which begets better films.—
Barry Levitt,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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Many couples assume that physical closeness naturally begets emotional closeness, but this is not the case.—
Mark Travers,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But reading the profile of Mohamad Eisa and Yolka Gessen left me with a kind of dread, the kind that comes when a spin-off from a hit show spawns a spin-off of its own, promising/threatening hundreds of new hours of content to keep up with.—
Jessa Crispin,
Air Mail,
24 Jan. 2026
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At the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Nadella sat for a conversation with the Forum’s interim co-chair, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, explaining that if AI growth spawns solely from investment, then that could be signs of a bubble.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fathers. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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