variants
also grandaddy
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the granddaddy of all English mystery novels
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of granddaddy
Every year since 2003, the umbrella organization for quizzing outfits around the globe has put on the granddaddy of knowledge competitions.
—
Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
But for real chills and scares, the granddaddy The Blair Witch Project still is the crown jewel.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
This ain’t your granddaddy’s Spud.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 14 Jan. 2026
That surprise set at Glastonbury 2025, the grandaddy of European festival, was the ultimate test.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for granddaddy
Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
But for real chills and scares, the granddaddy The Blair Witch Project still is the crown jewel.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
This ain’t your granddaddy’s Spud.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 14 Jan. 2026
That surprise set at Glastonbury 2025, the grandaddy of European festival, was the ultimate test.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for granddaddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for granddaddy
Noun
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Williams had managed traditional Tex-Mex restaurants that were the forerunner of today’s Mercado Juarez Cafes.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Four Freedoms awards are presented in the New Church in Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, where Roosevelt's ancestors hail from.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Researchers studying a 250-million-year-old fossil have found the first ever proof that mammal ancestors laid eggs, with the discovery also shedding light on a remarkable survival story.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Mobileye essentially pioneered cameras on cars, creating features such as lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control, precursors to cars driving themselves.—
Chris Anderson,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Granddaddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/granddaddy. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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