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
The series follows the Clyburns, a wealthy New York City family who relocates to Montana’s Madison River Valley following the deaths of family patriarch Preston (Russell) and his brother Paul (Fox), who were killed in a plane crash.
—
Cat Cardenas, Variety, 10 June 2026
The patriarch shares six adult children with his first wife, My Skarsgård.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
At his 80th birthday party, the powerful patriarch Adolfo Novak gathers family and friends.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 June 2026
This ideal of masculinity is not a patriarch but a perpetual adolescent, endlessly irresponsible and endlessly indulged.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Cat Cardenas, Variety, 10 June 2026
The patriarch shares six adult children with his first wife, My Skarsgård.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
At his 80th birthday party, the powerful patriarch Adolfo Novak gathers family and friends.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 June 2026
This ideal of masculinity is not a patriarch but a perpetual adolescent, endlessly irresponsible and endlessly indulged.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
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Her grandfather, Ub Iwerks, helped to design Mickey Mouse, and her father, Don Iwerks, spent 35 years as a camera technician at the company.—
Matthew Jacobs,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
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While his grandfather and father made their living as defensive coaches, Ryan’s specialty has been offense, dating back to his time as a receiver on Clemson’s 2016 National Championship team.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Jack is already following in his dad's footsteps with a passion for sports.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
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Plano resident Parker Nay got tickets with his dad and took part in the Oranje Fanwalk, a tradition for Netherlands supporters.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 June 2026
Noun
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His father then held the seat from 2003 until 2011.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
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Similarly compelling is ‘Home Going,’ in which Clemmons traces her father’s family’s migration to Los Angeles in the 1970s, motivated by the promise of economic opportunities that had previously seemed out of reach for Black people.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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