as in founder
a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor
Theodor Herzl is often credited as the founding father of modern Zionism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 founding father
Masaryk, often simply referred to as TGM, was the founding father of independent Czechoslovakia after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
—
Jack Guy, CNN Money, 17 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
Building back Luke Bolander is a senior and one of the founding fathers of KU’s new Delta Upsilon chapter, which was reinstated in 2023 after a 2018 scandal where pledges were urinated on, spat on and hit repeatedly for coming forward with hazing reports, The Kansan wrote.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for founding father
Jack Guy, CNN Money, 17 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
Building back Luke Bolander is a senior and one of the founding fathers of KU’s new Delta Upsilon chapter, which was reinstated in 2023 after a 2018 scandal where pledges were urinated on, spat on and hit repeatedly for coming forward with hazing reports, The Kansan wrote.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for founding father
Recent Examples of Synonyms for founding father
Noun
-
The shooting at the ICE facility came just two weeks after a gunman perched atop a building at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, shot and killed Kirk as the 31-year-old co-founder of the conservative grass roots organization Turning Point USA was speaking to a large crowd at an outdoor event.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The founder will serve as an adviser.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The trend, popularized by creator Kathryn Smith in a viral video, encourages viewers to start their day by hopping out of bed and jumping 50 times.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The five-bedroom, eight-bath property in the Pacific Palisades was originally built for Sam Simon, a co-creator of The Simpsons and an art and architecture collector.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When Usagi is approached by Ryuji (Kento Kaku), an academic obsessed with discovering the secrets of the afterlife, she is lured back into Borderland by the chance to see her father one more time.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Carolyn Smith, the late preacher’s daughter, said her father — like Pendleton a Knoxville College graduate — was instrumental in recruiting Pendleton and other Black educators to teach in San Diego.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Founding father.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/founding%20father. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share