patriarch

Definition of patriarchnext
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.

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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 She’s designed one home for the patriarch, two for a son, and four for the eldest daughter. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026 After the patriarch’s passing in 2014, the property was passed down to his daughter and son. Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Typically, the trust would take out policies on the children of the patriarch or matriarch. Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 Jaafar Jackson’s transformation into the King of Pop will be the main talking point, and two-time Oscar nominee Colman Domingo’s chilling turn as family patriarch Joe Jackson lends the film gravity. Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
  • This makes Gladden and Gaetti, who were pillars of the Minnesota Twins’ 1987 title team, grandfathers to the couple’s two boys, Luca, 9, and Malone, 5.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Things like my grandfather’s grand piano and library were given to my dad and are still in his house.
    R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The son became an officer himself this June, wearing his dad's badge number.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Things like my grandfather’s grand piano and library were given to my dad and are still in his house.
    R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Sosa siblings’ father, along with his two other sons and an uncle, set off to the Bahamas immediately on Monday afternoon to start searching themselves via boat.
    Alex Harris Updated September 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
  • His interview subjects range from people who worked with Musk at various companies and in the government to people who knew him intimately, including his father, Errol.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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