gaffer

noun

Definition of gaffernext
1
as in patriarch

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in manager

Related Words

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 gaffer Three gaffers rush by with heavy coils of electric cord slung over their shoulders. — Jade Chang, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 Also headquartered at the warehouse is Expendables Upcycler, which recovers everything from unused gaffer’s tape to camera equipment and batteries. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026 Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maurice Leiter denied efforts by Baldwin and other producers to dismiss the lawsuit brought by gaffer — or chief electrician — Serge Svetnoy. — Steff Danielle Thomas, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2026 Baldwin had asked the court to fully dismiss the lawsuit filed by Rust gaffer Serge Svetnoy. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gaffer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaffer
  1. patriarch
  2. manager
  3. graybeard
  4. skipper
  5. old-timer
  6. supervisor
  7. oldster
  8. steward
Noun
  • Costner played John Dutton, the powerful patriarch of the Dutton family and owner of the Yellowstone Ranch, one of the largest cattle ranches in the United States.
    — Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Costner appeared as the family patriarch, John Dutton, while Grimes played John’s youngest son, Kayce.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of patriarch
Noun
  • The elder O’Neal joined the program himself as its general manager in an unpaid, voluntary role, The Athletic reported.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Guardians manager Stephen Vogt could change plans and go with Foster Griffin on Saturday.
    — Joe Reedy, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of manager
Noun
  • McCollum is the graybeard entering only his fifth season and in the second year of a three-year, $48 million contract extension.
    — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Sixteen years into the experiment, Twitter is a graybeard by internet years and by corporate standards.
    — Matt Pearce, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2022
Definition of graybeard
Noun
  • Judge, along with Michael Schuck, the club’s director of sports medicine and rehabilitation, conferred with the skipper.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Most managers and bench coaches conduct this business from the skipper’s office.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of skipper
Noun
  • While the boys bicker over stickball rules, old-timers Keith Hernandez, Willie Randolph and Tom Seaver argue from a stoop.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • There are the old-timers who have been cracking jokes on stage since before Gen Zers were born, including Marc Maron, Chelsea Handler and Martin Lawrence.
    — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of old-timer
Noun
  • Chen advised supervisors facing decision fatigue to review shots within their sequences rather than obsess over individual frames.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Shea’s supervisor confronted her when Shea’s findings in a cold case could not be replicated.
    — Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervisor
Noun
  • Enough with the oldsters, what about those kids?
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
  • With each passing day, its oldster cast — including Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Geena Davis — is closer to the grave.
    — Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Definition of oldster
Noun
  • The problem has long caused tension between Iowa’s more liberal urban centers, which rely on rivers and lakes for drinking water, and mostly conservative stewards of its rich farmland.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The problem has long caused tension between Iowa's more liberal urban centers, which rely on rivers and lakes for drinking water, and mostly conservative stewards of its rich farmland.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of steward

Browse Nearby Words

gaffed
gaffer
gaffers
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Gaffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaffer. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of syncretic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All