forefathers

noun

plural of forefather
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forefathers Emeril Lagasse is a legend in the food industry and is seen by many as one of the forefathers of television food personalities and food programming. — Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2026 But the truth is that our forefathers were sufficiently individualistic to be iconoclastic. — Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026 Our economic systems are not serving the people who live here, whose forefathers established this new republic, and our grandparents actualized the peak of its success. — Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Moritz Grossmann was one of the forefathers of German watchmaking in Glashütte. — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2026 The clubs, civic organizations and community events that once brought our forefathers together are largely fading away. — Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 10 Mar. 2026 The Nuggets forefathers witnessed him before the rest of Denver, as if it was meant to be that Jamal Murray would become one of them. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2026 Yet, without ceasing, another generation of Puerto Ricans pick up the mantle to chant in the streets and fight for their country, out of love for their forefathers and foremothers. — Taylor Crumpton, Time, 10 Feb. 2026 Our forefathers fought the American Revolution to get away from a tyrannical monarch and indifferent legislators, not to create our own homegrown version of it. — Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefathers
  1. ancestors
  2. grandfathers
  3. fathers
Noun
  • Throughout the region, remains of 5,500 ancestors that were displaced have been made available for return to the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to ProPublica’s NAGPRA database.
    — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
  • What began as a personal offering to her ancestors evolved into a recognizable symbol of cultural visibility across the city.
    — Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of ancestors
Noun
  • Quimby’s mom, grandmother, both grandfathers and friends all contributed, with friends traveling from Maine and Naples to help with the finishing touches.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2026
  • This is not uncommon here on the northern edge of the Iron Range, where many locals had fathers or grandfathers who worked underground before subsequent generations pivoted to tourism.
    — Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of grandfathers
Noun
  • Seeking election to the state legislature on Tuesday are some homeschooling mothers, a couple of homeschooling fathers, a grandfather and a recently graduated homeschooled student.
    — Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The fathers of both the husband and wife confirmed their identities to the outlet Monday.
    — Stephen Sorace , Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of fathers

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forefather
forefathers
forefeel
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Cite this Entry

“Forefathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefathers. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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