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
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 fathers
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The play, which was a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, follows three adult children who meet to settle their fathers’ estate, and, in the process, discover secrets about their parents’ lives.
—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2026
New fathers lose 1% of their brain matter.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
25 June 2026
Individuals who begin to see themselves as fathers, mothers, believers, mentors, or servants often become less attached to the identities that contributed to their criminal behavior in the first place.
—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Outside of the birthday festivities, Aldean recently reflected on the fathers in her life with a pair of emotional Father's Day posts.
—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
Uh, yeah, about that … Their fathers, Claudio Reyna and Gregg Berhalter, were born 12 days apart in neighboring towns in New Jersey in 1973 and became best friends at age 12.
—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2026
Lennon and Starr both welcomed sons before the band's fame reached its peak, and by 1978, all four Beatles had become fathers.
—
John Russell,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Their mothers and fathers have been deported or locked for months inside detention centers, often miles away from where their families live.
—
Claudia Boyd-Barrett,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
While some of the wives wouldn’t bother coming to games every Sunday, Michel said, many of the children saw the Feeney fathers as proper heroes.
—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The play, which was a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, follows three adult children who meet to settle their fathers’ estate, and, in the process, discover secrets about their parents’ lives.
—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2026
New fathers lose 1% of their brain matter.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
25 June 2026
Individuals who begin to see themselves as fathers, mothers, believers, mentors, or servants often become less attached to the identities that contributed to their criminal behavior in the first place.
—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Outside of the birthday festivities, Aldean recently reflected on the fathers in her life with a pair of emotional Father's Day posts.
—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
Uh, yeah, about that … Their fathers, Claudio Reyna and Gregg Berhalter, were born 12 days apart in neighboring towns in New Jersey in 1973 and became best friends at age 12.
—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2026
Lennon and Starr both welcomed sons before the band's fame reached its peak, and by 1978, all four Beatles had become fathers.
—
John Russell,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Their mothers and fathers have been deported or locked for months inside detention centers, often miles away from where their families live.
—
Claudia Boyd-Barrett,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathers
Noun
-
The shower of affection continued as the tall guys in custom suits made their way to a set that resembled a living room, complete with baby photos and a couch large enough to hold their proud moms and dads.
-
Following a Father's Day often marked by predictable gifts like slippers or cologne, this piece offers dads 10 innovative ways to treat themselves by upgrading their home environments.
Noun
-
Against the odds, our founders defeated a monarchy and created what would become the richest, freest, and most powerful country the world has ever seen.
-
For the co-founders, integrating the technology into wearable jewelry is essential.
Noun
-
One of his great-great-grandfathers, Ned, was enslaved in Texas before being freed on Juneteenth.
-
Happy Father’s Day to fathers everywhere — birth fathers, stepfathers, adoptive and foster fathers, grandfathers, and all of you caring men who mentor children and fill the role of absent dads.
Verb
-
But one of the hardest yet most common lessons investors learn is that strength often begets more strength.
-
And rhetoric, it could be said, begets more rhetoric.
Noun
-
Vegas is full of bachelor parties, drag revues, Elvis impersonators, wedding chapels, showgirls, leather daddies, casino grandmas, and enough sequins to blind Liberace.
-
One of the world’s most famous baby daddies is getting a Netflix docuseries to chronicle his hectic life.
Noun
-
Much credit goes to creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, who somehow spun what could have been a one-note character into a scene-stealing fan favorite capable of carrying his own show.
-
The new label will focus on service work to support clients and creators in bringing projects that target older audiences to fruition.
Noun
-
Goodhouse recalled stories his grandfather would tell him of their ancestors who were in the Hunkpapa camp when troops attacked.
-
These findings suggest that throughout great ape evolution, our ancestors gradually developed more control over the timing of their vocalizations, including laughter.
Verb
-
The average female lionfish spawns around 27,000 eggs every three days, so unsurprisingly, the species quickly spread throughout the Caribbean, up the East Coast and east to the Bahamas.
-
The Lifeform spawns from a black, bacterial mold that infests the yellow wallpaper and moist carpets.
Cite this Entry
“Fathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fathers. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
