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
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
Judged against his forebears, Hamels doesn’t measure up.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The Dutch — forebears of our city and exemplars of cycling culture — require fast e-bikes to be licensed and insured as mopeds.
—Sameer Butt, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
These names tie us to our forebears, in this case by reminding us of older ways of keeping time.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
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
Judged against his forebears, Hamels doesn’t measure up.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The Dutch — forebears of our city and exemplars of cycling culture — require fast e-bikes to be licensed and insured as mopeds.
—Sameer Butt, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
These names tie us to our forebears, in this case by reminding us of older ways of keeping time.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebears
Noun
-
Connie Martin always knew who her ancestors were growing up.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Some of those ancestors left Africa to explore Europe.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
My grandfathers had both been miners whose early deaths owed much to their working lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And the same impressive nature was true of both women's grandfathers, says Jones.—
Alex Ross,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And again the morgues and graveyards of Iran received fathers and sons, mothers and daughters.—
Azar Nafisi,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Tisch and John Mara have functioned as the Giants franchise’s controlling owners for their respective families since the passing of their fathers, Bob Tisch and Wellington Mara, in 2005.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forebears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebears. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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