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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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
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His late paternal grandfather, Stan Bregman, was a lawyer who once represented the old Washington Senators baseball club.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
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Pierce-Sherrod’s father, who went on to become the city’s chicken king, was born in Alabama and already owned a family business — a grocery store — with her grandfather before moving to Chicago.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Even better, however, were some smaller numbers that went his way Saturday when the Mustangs hosted Oswego East, where his dad Terrell is a sophomore coach and varsity assistant.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Interestingly the pool scene, where Kevin loses his dad’s massive swim trunks while bombing in the pool, was filmed at the Four Seasons Chicago – the Plaza Hotel doesn’t have an indoor pool.—
Adam Turner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the earliest Greek texts, Phoinix was also the father of Europa, who, in mythology, was a princess, raped and carried off by Zeus and brought to the island of Crete.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
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When Hodel died in 1999, Steve found a photo in his father’s belongings that appeared to be Short.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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