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
Dolan family patriarch Charles built the family’s first fortune on the back of cable television by founding HBO and building Cablevision into a behemoth that was sold to Altice in 2016 for $18 billion.
—
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 26 May 2026
Sebastian Stan makes an unexpected turn as a conservative evangelical patriarch in this new film from 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days director Cristian Mungiu.
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Sonia Cheng, daughter of family patriarch Henry Cheng, serves as Rosewood’s CEO, as well as the chair of jewelry chain Chow Tai Fook Jewelry.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 25 May 2026
Per the patriarch’s final wishes, the family must embark on a wild inheritance game and spend one chaotic week together.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 26 May 2026
Sebastian Stan makes an unexpected turn as a conservative evangelical patriarch in this new film from 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days director Cristian Mungiu.
—Rachel Handler, Vulture, 26 May 2026
Sonia Cheng, daughter of family patriarch Henry Cheng, serves as Rosewood’s CEO, as well as the chair of jewelry chain Chow Tai Fook Jewelry.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 25 May 2026
Per the patriarch’s final wishes, the family must embark on a wild inheritance game and spend one chaotic week together.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
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The young Khomeini, who doesn’t hold a government position, spoke at the main ceremony commemorating his great grandfather’s death 37 years ago.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
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Owner Ray Biggerstaff announced his retirement, signaling the end of an era for the company founded in 1948 by his grandfather, Raymond Biggerstaff.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Noun
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With nothing holding her down but a dead-end job and an aging dad, a small-town Texan girl is swiftly bedazzled by a smooth criminal drifter, and hops into his car to pursue a life less ordinary.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
7 June 2026
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In fact, the new graduate recently made his acting debut alongside his dad Oliver in the Netflix rom-com A Merry Little Ex-Mas.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Noun
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San Antonio's roster, meanwhile, features another son of a longtime pro in Dylan Harper, whose father, Ron, won five NBA championships in the span of six seasons with Chicago and the Lakers.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
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Besides Dara’s statement, what TJ says about his own father sheds some light on West.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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