as in grandfather
a man who is the head of a family
Investors worried that the aging patriarch was soon to be replaced atop the family business by his less reliable oldest son.
Related Words
Relevance
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 patriarch
Bunnie Xo and Bailee Ann showered their beloved patriarch with love during the Christmas holidays in 2020.
—
Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
The distant and distracted patriarch, although abundant on-screen in 2025, is not a novel invention.
—Susie Goldsbrough, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
After that session, the three patriarchs began reaching out to other heavyweight clans.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2025
The patriarch claimed he was cut off by his daughter but had never stopped loving her.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
The distant and distracted patriarch, although abundant on-screen in 2025, is not a novel invention.
—Susie Goldsbrough, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
After that session, the three patriarchs began reaching out to other heavyweight clans.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2025
The patriarch claimed he was cut off by his daughter but had never stopped loving her.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
-
El Camello says his grandfather always had cars.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Named after his grandfather, the late master distiller Booker Noe, this blended whiskey changes with every release, and often highlights some very unusual components (bourbon made from brown rice, for example).—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And Natalie is still justifiably concerned about her dad, calling him up during his night from hell and getting no information from him.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Like his character on the show, Brown is a girl dad.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In a social media video, Madi said her father's health declined in the months following an early-stage prostate cancer diagnosis.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The introduction was from my father, who was a friend of his in another lifetime.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share