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
There, the patriarch, Joseph (Colman Domingo), presses the child Michael (played with admirable musical and dramatic flair by Juliano Valdi) and four of Michael’s older brothers into rehearsal.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Michael stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as the Thriller superstar, with Colman Domingo as family patriarch Joe Jackson and Nia Long as mother Katherine.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the archconservative patriarch of modern Japanese politics who was assassinated in 2022, was the last sitting premier to pay respects at the shrine in-person.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Now, more than 20 years later, his story is taking a quieter but arguably more meaningful turn — from escape artist to potential patriarch of a new gorilla family.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Michael stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as the Thriller superstar, with Colman Domingo as family patriarch Joe Jackson and Nia Long as mother Katherine.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the archconservative patriarch of modern Japanese politics who was assassinated in 2022, was the last sitting premier to pay respects at the shrine in-person.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Now, more than 20 years later, his story is taking a quieter but arguably more meaningful turn — from escape artist to potential patriarch of a new gorilla family.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
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The two had been arguing just a few hours earlier over Sweeney’s reluctance to do chores around the house, his grandfather told police.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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The driver who fatally struck a grandfather in Midtown in 2024 was sentenced with 180 days of work release and 30 days of community service last week — a typically light sentence in California, where many vehicular manslaughter cases are charged as misdemeanors.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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My dad was killed by Iranian proxies forty-two years ago.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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The tank weighing down the back of Kyle Nicolson’s truck holds a mixture of water, nutrients and fertilizer concocted through years of tinkering, first by his grandfather, then his dad, his uncle and his cousins.—
Jonathan Bullington,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As the Ado Annie-like Betsy, a horny teen-ager whose father owns a shotgun, Kurtz is playing a character who should be, and kind of is, a one-joke punch line.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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Wilson’s father, Bruce, and Sweeney’s mother, Kelly, are Gayle Wilson’s stepchildren, according to TMZ.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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