as in ancestors
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
our forefathers bought this farm, and our family has worked it for three generations
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Recent Examples of forefathers
And while the words may sting, our forefathers would surely agree that the First Amendment exists precisely to protect even the harshest political speech.
—
Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
The composer mashes together elements of forefathers who were themselves notorious mashers-up of traditions.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Letters To The Editor, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
The composer mashes together elements of forefathers who were themselves notorious mashers-up of traditions.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefathers
Noun
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More rails flew back — their distant ancestors, still strong in Madagascar, made the same flight again.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Oct. 2025
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In the early 2020s, ancestors of the founder worked to bring the brand back to life, refocusing on the original cast-iron products that cooks loved.—
Editors of Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Smith and Christian’s respective grandfathers were their catalysts into vintage fashion.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
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Once the territory of grandfathers and sitcom nerds, sweater vests have had a resurgence over the last decade.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Family is at her core Patterson and her husband, Lance, adopted their two nephews (whose fathers were incarcerated) and raised them through high school, IndyWeek reported.—
Evan Moore
October 31,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Oct. 2025
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Currently in production in Nevada, the film follows two fathers from vastly different worlds who form an unlikely bond while searching for a runaway daughter in Reno.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forefathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefathers. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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