variants
also forbears
as in ancestors
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 forebears
Infiniti’s look called to mind two legendary forebears.
—
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2026
Another camp speculates that these forebears met human nomads on the trail of big game and started traveling with them, eventually arriving in China via Mongolia through their supporting role as war dogs.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
God willing, this legal reckoning will come before Republicans descend into barbarism on the scale of their ideological forebears.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
But beneath the surface, new technology promises Artemis astronauts mobility on the moon that their Apollo-era forebears could only dream about.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
However, teens and twentysomethings today are of a very different demographic and have markedly different media consumption habits compared to Wikipedia’s forebears.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2026
His claim motivated a phalanx of AIDS deniers, the forebears of the anti-vaccine militants today.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
But Wallace, alert to the sexism of his forebears and eager to demonstrate his own feminism, once sounded a lot like Lockwood.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Unlike their forebears, however, today’s boneless couches are not high design but rather attainable furniture.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Jan. 2026
Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2026
Another camp speculates that these forebears met human nomads on the trail of big game and started traveling with them, eventually arriving in China via Mongolia through their supporting role as war dogs.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
God willing, this legal reckoning will come before Republicans descend into barbarism on the scale of their ideological forebears.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
But beneath the surface, new technology promises Artemis astronauts mobility on the moon that their Apollo-era forebears could only dream about.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
However, teens and twentysomethings today are of a very different demographic and have markedly different media consumption habits compared to Wikipedia’s forebears.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Jan. 2026
His claim motivated a phalanx of AIDS deniers, the forebears of the anti-vaccine militants today.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
But Wallace, alert to the sexism of his forebears and eager to demonstrate his own feminism, once sounded a lot like Lockwood.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Unlike their forebears, however, today’s boneless couches are not high design but rather attainable furniture.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebears
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
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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
Noun
-
His grandfathers, fishermen Pietro Tarantino and Gaetano D’Acquisto, immigrated to the area from Porticello, Sicily, in the early 1900s and settled in Little Italy.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
-
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
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
Cite this Entry
“Forebears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebears. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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