as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority
the city's grandes dames still hold considerable sway in its cultural life
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grande dame
Daisy will always be our grande dame, Tennessee’s First Lady of Southern Cooking.
—
Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Gaga is thirty-eight now—a grande dame in pop years.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
This Viennese grande dame is the place to see and be seen.
—Katharina Kotrba, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
What about an Adele-style grande dame?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grande dame
Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Gaga is thirty-eight now—a grande dame in pop years.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
This Viennese grande dame is the place to see and be seen.
—Katharina Kotrba, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
What about an Adele-style grande dame?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grande dame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grande dame
Noun
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The empress dowager’s legacy Empress Dowager Ling was largely unsuccessful in her bid for power.—
Stephanie Balkwill,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2025
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Playing an acid-tongue dowager or master teacher of witchcraft came naturally to her, but what thrilled her about acting was its transformative freedom.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Mary Thema, a clinical matron at Kadoma General Hospital, says Kelly’s case underlines this challenge.—
Cynthia Tully,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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The aristocratic matron in question, Lady Hemphill, would often accompany her husband to the Huston estate, located in the rugged pastures and boglands of County Galway, for dinner parties and hunting expeditions.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Grande dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grande%20dame. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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