as in founders
a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor
Theodor Herzl is often credited as the founding father of modern Zionism
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Recent Examples of founding fathers
No, January 6 was a day our founding fathers would have been standing shoulder to shoulder with us.
—
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Our founding fathers enshrined freedom of speech in the First Amendment, not the second or the 10th, but the first.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
This is the oldest bar in the city and was once the watering hole for the founding fathers, including George Washington.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Mandato cited writings of several founding fathers, including John Adams, Daniel Webster and John Witherspoon, who argued the country's constitutional system cannot endure without a moral and religious population, and Christian principals are conducive to good citizenship.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
That’s the way the founding fathers intended it.
—Mark Waller, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
That’s essentially what happened in the American Revolution, most of the founding fathers were of the wealthiest echelons of the colonies.
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
In fact, Leticia was established by the Peruvian military in the 1800s and takes its name from the girlfriend of one of its founding fathers.
—John Otis, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
More than a month after his death, Ozzy Osbourne’s music has largely slipped away from the Billboard charts following the headline-grabbing news that one of rock’s founding fathers had passed away.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Our founding fathers enshrined freedom of speech in the First Amendment, not the second or the 10th, but the first.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
This is the oldest bar in the city and was once the watering hole for the founding fathers, including George Washington.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Mandato cited writings of several founding fathers, including John Adams, Daniel Webster and John Witherspoon, who argued the country's constitutional system cannot endure without a moral and religious population, and Christian principals are conducive to good citizenship.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
That’s the way the founding fathers intended it.
—Mark Waller, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
That’s essentially what happened in the American Revolution, most of the founding fathers were of the wealthiest echelons of the colonies.
—Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
In fact, Leticia was established by the Peruvian military in the 1800s and takes its name from the girlfriend of one of its founding fathers.
—John Otis, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
More than a month after his death, Ozzy Osbourne’s music has largely slipped away from the Billboard charts following the headline-grabbing news that one of rock’s founding fathers had passed away.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for founding fathers
Noun
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The founders argue that automation should be accessible to smaller operators, including neighborhood bars and private event spaces.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
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Sign up for our weekly, original newsletter that goes beyond the annual Disruptor 50 list, offering a closer look at list-making companies and their innovative founders.—
CNBC.com staff,
CNBC,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Lenovo also positions the system for creators.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
-
El Dorado County, east of Sacramento, sends a letter to creators of unauthorized displays asking for their removal within 30 days and informing them of a memorial sign program.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In fact, some famous fathers have doubled that average age, becoming dads past the age of 65.—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Husbands and fathers were supposed to meet their major needs for food, shelter, and clothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The authors say the results could help doctors make more accurate diagnoses, reduce unnecessary, restrictive gluten-free diets and help shift messaging away from the idea that gluten is inherently harmful.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The authors say the discovery does more than offer a promising material tweak.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Founding fathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/founding%20fathers. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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