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
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
The Philadelphia Art Museum, the National Constitution Center, the Museum of the American Revolution, and smaller outfits like Eastern State Penitentiary and Historic Germantown will, as expected, reimagine the history of our republic in an homage to the forefathers’ ingenuity.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026
My forefathers helped form the Soviet identity and its rituals, even before there was a country to promote them.
—Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
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
The Philadelphia Art Museum, the National Constitution Center, the Museum of the American Revolution, and smaller outfits like Eastern State Penitentiary and Historic Germantown will, as expected, reimagine the history of our republic in an homage to the forefathers’ ingenuity.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 5 Jan. 2026
My forefathers helped form the Soviet identity and its rituals, even before there was a country to promote them.
—Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefathers
Noun
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Like their ancient ancestors, visitors standing at the center of the stone circle on Sunday will be able to watch the sun rise above the Heel Stone to the northeast — weather depending, of course.—
Elmira Aliieva,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
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How did some of our oldest ancestors make the first step onto land some 350 million years ago?—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
Noun
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One of my grandfathers was born to Greek immigrants from a village in the mountains above Sparta, the other to Jewish immigrants from what is now Belarus.—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
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Opponents hope to negotiate a compromise that grandfathers in existing applicants.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
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Though strictly a fathers club, the group, Nieves said, has grown thanks to wives and partners sharing his social media posts with their husbands.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Golf provides the perfect setup for fathers to bond with their sons and daughters.—
John Dunlap,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forefathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefathers. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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