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
Its goal is to undo the founding fathers' vision of India as a secular country, home to people with many faiths.
—
Rob Schmitz, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
Widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash revolutionized the art of DJing, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Thanks to the brilliance of our founding fathers, there are some areas where governments are strictly limited in their ability to consider trade-offs.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Our founding fathers experienced the heavy hand of a tyrannical government.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Legendary Chicago Bears owner George Halas was one of the founding fathers of the NFL.
—Ryan Baker, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
This is not the America our founding fathers envisioned — not one where journalists face arrest for covering protests and holding power accountable.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
Biery compared the administration's actions to those of King George III cited by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Atop Connecticut’s state Capitol building, Captain John Mason, depicted in his 1637 attack on the Pequots in Mystic, is enshrined among the state’s founding fathers.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
Rob Schmitz, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
Widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash revolutionized the art of DJing, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Thanks to the brilliance of our founding fathers, there are some areas where governments are strictly limited in their ability to consider trade-offs.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Our founding fathers experienced the heavy hand of a tyrannical government.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Legendary Chicago Bears owner George Halas was one of the founding fathers of the NFL.
—Ryan Baker, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
This is not the America our founding fathers envisioned — not one where journalists face arrest for covering protests and holding power accountable.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
Biery compared the administration's actions to those of King George III cited by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Atop Connecticut’s state Capitol building, Captain John Mason, depicted in his 1637 attack on the Pequots in Mystic, is enshrined among the state’s founding fathers.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for founding fathers
Noun
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The founders getting the most from this platform have a system for creating great content.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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Cronk and Jonny Saven, the CEO of L’Agence, are the co-founders of the Denim Institute and Museum, coming to the Fashion District in 2027.—
Sandra Barrera,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Stars of the original musical, like Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, as well as creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, return home from their mission in Hollywood.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
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The comedians recapped the content creators' ongoing beef, which came to a head when Cooper called out Earle in a TikTok shared on April 13.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s mothers and daughters, there’s fathers and daughters, there’s fathers and sons, there’s siblings, there’s best friends, there’s coworkers.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
-
In Downeast Maine, boys are shaped by brutal winters, the harvesting of the ocean’s bounty, and the rigid codes of their fathers.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The fact that those dreary assessments have very little to do with the actual wants and needs of the vast majority of Californians — not to mention the state’s history of electing mostly dull and drab governors — should give their authors pause.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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In five separate experiments, the authors devised artificial foraging setups that contained cavities hidden beneath surfaces.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Founding fathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/founding%20fathers. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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