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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forebear
Like such country forebears as Whitley, Skaggs, Vince Gill and Chris Stapleton, the Sunnyside, Washington native started out playing bluegrass, even as he was enamored early on with the music of Strait and Whitley.
—
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Aug. 2025
Once upon a time, scholars thought that human evolution was a march of progress in which our forebears evolved in linear fashion from an apelike ancestor to a series of increasingly humanlike forms.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025
Still, a modern 911 resembles its forebears not just in its silhouette, but in its purpose.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 11 July 2025
The two features are, if a little lacking in visual stimulation compared with their forebears, reliably entertaining.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Aug. 2025
Once upon a time, scholars thought that human evolution was a march of progress in which our forebears evolved in linear fashion from an apelike ancestor to a series of increasingly humanlike forms.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025
Still, a modern 911 resembles its forebears not just in its silhouette, but in its purpose.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 11 July 2025
The two features are, if a little lacking in visual stimulation compared with their forebears, reliably entertaining.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebear
Noun
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In 2024, some 75 representatives gathered in Pegli, near Genoa, their ancestors’ home.—
Miquel Ros,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
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Dogs’ tendency to chase or bark at cats often stems from their natural prey drive, a leftover instinct from their wild ancestors.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The line in Swift's song and The Life of a Showgirl's cover art appears to be inspired by a Victorian-era painting that depicts the scene in Hamlet when Ophelia goes crazy and falls into a stream and drowns after learning Hamlet killed her father.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
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Clemishire and her father filed the lawsuit in Dallas County District Court in June.—
Nolan Clay,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Turns out, Todd has inherited the same condition that killed his grandfather (played by low-budget horror legend Larry Fessenden).—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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On a recent morning, Codie Dufrene, 23, came to collect food for her grandfather and his neighbors, who live 45 minutes from the closest grocery store.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forebear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebear. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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