as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority
even though she was 87, the matriarch of the family knew everything that was going on
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of matriarch
It’s led by Francesca Annis (Lillie), who plays matriarch Ann.
—
Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Peppermint Patty is the new matriarch of one big, capy family.
—Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
My mom is like the pinnacle of the family, and the matriarch.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 24 Oct. 2025
He will be buried in his native Tucson with the family matriarch.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Denise Petski, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Peppermint Patty is the new matriarch of one big, capy family.
—Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
My mom is like the pinnacle of the family, and the matriarch.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 24 Oct. 2025
He will be buried in his native Tucson with the family matriarch.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matriarch
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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Madam Poppy Pomfrey played a vital role in the lives of Hogwarts students as a matron, who nursed the sick and injured.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
1 Sep. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Matriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matriarch. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
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