variants
also forbear
as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
his forebears came to America on the Mayflower
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forebear
That was how so many of their forebears settled here, having survived slavery and Jim Crow, working land some of the families own to this day.
—
Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2026
McNair spoke, unsuccessfully, before an Alabama Legislature that wanted to limit how schools teach events, such as the bombing that killed her sister, lest White children feel guilt for the sins of their forebears.
—John Archibald, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
But new research suggests that our forbears had more varied and cosmopolitan tastes, centuries before the Guide Michelin.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 14 Mar. 2026
The tournament, held every few years as a joint production between MLB and the MLB Players Association, allows players to represent, not the city that hired them, but the home that raised them or their forebears.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2026
McNair spoke, unsuccessfully, before an Alabama Legislature that wanted to limit how schools teach events, such as the bombing that killed her sister, lest White children feel guilt for the sins of their forebears.
—John Archibald, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026
But new research suggests that our forbears had more varied and cosmopolitan tastes, centuries before the Guide Michelin.
—Scott Simon, NPR, 14 Mar. 2026
The tournament, held every few years as a joint production between MLB and the MLB Players Association, allows players to represent, not the city that hired them, but the home that raised them or their forebears.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebear
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Even Haghighi’s daring sense of form—his cornucopia of tones, styles, and genres—reflects his grandfather’s masterwork and suggests an expansion of Golestan’s audacious and original aesthetic.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Dlugach was the proud father of two daughters April and Kim, and loving grandfather of four grandchildren.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her father, Ken, also had a big hand in developing her career.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Kevin MacEgan said his father’s honor, wisdom, kindness and character will serve as his lasting legacy.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forebear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebear. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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