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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of grande dame
Instead, the grande dame of hospitality was replaced by an overweening, obscenely tall, utterly out of place, speculative supertall skyscraper: the Empire State Building.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 July 2025
The grande dame of the Italian Riviera may have got a little grander, but clearly, she’s lost none of her magic.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 18 June 2025
While the grande dames in this space come with equally grand price tags, a crop of independent, design-forward hotels that offer elegant interiors and high-end amenities at approachable price points have emerged.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2025
The grande dame of afternoon sipping has earned its loyal following by keeping it traditional.
—Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grande dame
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 July 2025
The grande dame of the Italian Riviera may have got a little grander, but clearly, she’s lost none of her magic.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 18 June 2025
While the grande dames in this space come with equally grand price tags, a crop of independent, design-forward hotels that offer elegant interiors and high-end amenities at approachable price points have emerged.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 16 June 2025
The grande dame of afternoon sipping has earned its loyal following by keeping it traditional.
—Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grande dame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grande dame
Noun
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The show’s underpinned by the differences in character and country of Lady Cora and her formidable mother-in-law, the dowager Countess Violet Crawley, played by the equally formidable and much missed Dame Maggie Smith.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
22 July 2025
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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
Noun
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The two women couldn’t be more different, but when a wealthy matron is found dead of an apparent suicide on the rocky shore of Vermont’s Lake Champlain, their fraught relationship gradually turns into a productive collaboration, despite Olivia’s missteps.—
Liza Tully,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Grande dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grande%20dame. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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