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
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Recent Examples of forebears
When Stanley Tucci isn’t busy making hit movies like The Devil Wears Prada 2, he can often be found in Italy, the land of his forebears.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 May 2026
The scene recalled the gruesome rampages of the RSF’s forebears, the janjaweed militias who terrorized Sudan’s Darfur region a generation ago.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Absent the lush melancholy of classic synth-pop, what Hervé and Amato had in common with their forbears was a spirit of innovation rooted in profound laziness.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 23 May 2026
Generations of Irish schoolchildren studied the language of their forebears.
—Big Think, 4 May 2026
But the real transformation came when our hominin predecessors, the forebears of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, broke from this pattern.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Medical science has blessed our generation with an abundance of preventive methods — including vaccines — and treatments that enable a far greater percentage of us to live longer and healthier lives than our forebears.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026
Though not as breathtakingly palatial as its forebears in Hong Kong (the first-born) and Manila (the second), this third child is nonetheless manor-like, quietly confident, and a total oasis.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Two hundred fifty years ago our political forebears softened their biases and brought forth something new and remarkable.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 May 2026
The scene recalled the gruesome rampages of the RSF’s forebears, the janjaweed militias who terrorized Sudan’s Darfur region a generation ago.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
Absent the lush melancholy of classic synth-pop, what Hervé and Amato had in common with their forbears was a spirit of innovation rooted in profound laziness.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 23 May 2026
Generations of Irish schoolchildren studied the language of their forebears.
—Big Think, 4 May 2026
But the real transformation came when our hominin predecessors, the forebears of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, broke from this pattern.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Medical science has blessed our generation with an abundance of preventive methods — including vaccines — and treatments that enable a far greater percentage of us to live longer and healthier lives than our forebears.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026
Though not as breathtakingly palatial as its forebears in Hong Kong (the first-born) and Manila (the second), this third child is nonetheless manor-like, quietly confident, and a total oasis.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Two hundred fifty years ago our political forebears softened their biases and brought forth something new and remarkable.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebears
Noun
-
In her book Fresh Banana Leaves, Indigenous scientist and scholar Jessica Hernandez meditates on the meaning of the banana plant within the ecologies of her ancestors across what is now Mexico and El Salvador.—
Sophia Rey,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2026
-
Crocodilian ancestors have persisted through mass extinctions, dramatic climate shifts and ecological upheavals that have eradicated countless other lineages.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Opponents hope to negotiate a compromise that grandfathers in existing applicants.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
-
Homer is named after both of his grandfathers—Homer Gere and James Lowell—while his third name comes from Gere’s Buddhist background.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The black-and-white soirée showcased striking runway moments as seniors, wearing gorgeous white dresses, walked arm-in-arm with their fathers in a moving father-daughter presentation.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
Both mothers and fathers would be eligible.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forebears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebears. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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