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
Banerjee, who was born in 1963, offered an effusive epilogue to the modernist exhibit, exploring dimensions, textures and scale that many of her artistic forebears could only dream of.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.
—Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Yu, who died last year, had forebears.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The 2027 coupe that paraded around Sebring—paired with forebears from C2, C4, C6, and C7 generations of the Corvette—is highlighted by the return of Admiral Blue Metallic paint to the family line.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
The Seder provides many different ways to engage with the language, often alongside older generations who acquired varying degrees of proficiency from their forebears.
—Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Steinmuller followed his forebears into the shipping industry.
—Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
There is plenty about Norris to make fun of, but I’d be thrilled if today’s MAGA bros honored their forbears and were slightly less histrionic.
—John Devore, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
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
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.
—Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Yu, who died last year, had forebears.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The 2027 coupe that paraded around Sebring—paired with forebears from C2, C4, C6, and C7 generations of the Corvette—is highlighted by the return of Admiral Blue Metallic paint to the family line.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
The Seder provides many different ways to engage with the language, often alongside older generations who acquired varying degrees of proficiency from their forebears.
—Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Steinmuller followed his forebears into the shipping industry.
—Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
There is plenty about Norris to make fun of, but I’d be thrilled if today’s MAGA bros honored their forbears and were slightly less histrionic.
—John Devore, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebears
Noun
-
The Four Freedoms awards are presented in the New Church in Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, where Roosevelt's ancestors hail from.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Researchers studying a 250-million-year-old fossil have found the first ever proof that mammal ancestors laid eggs, with the discovery also shedding light on a remarkable survival story.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Her grandfathers were military.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
College-age amateurs competing alongside former champions old enough to be their grandfathers is a longstanding Masters tradition.—
Jack Leo,
AJC.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Harry closed his Movember appearance with a message to fathers about mental health and the realities of parenthood.—
Megan Hustwaite,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Five fathers, including Mendez’s father, Gonzalo, who led the effort, filed the lawsuit in 1945 against school districts in Westminster, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and El Modena, which today falls under the Orange Unified School District.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forebears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebears. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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