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.
Related Words
Relevance
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
The patriarch’s younger son, Abhay, thirty-nine, and his family live on the top floor in a spacious, breezy apartment that commands a fine view of Dhakuria Lake, which stretches away into the distance, flanking Southern Avenue.
—
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Schedeen starred alongside Max Wright, who played patriarch Willie Tanner and died in 2019.
—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Ringling Mansion, which belonged to the patriarch and his wife, Lou, was purchased in part by former circus trainmaster Joe Colossa in an effort to save the property and keep its legacy from fading from history.
—
Midwest Living,
11 June 2026
Produced by Guy Ritchie, MobLand stars Hardy as Harry Da Souza, the loyal fixer for the Harrigan crime family, which is led by powerful patriarch Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) and his conniving wife, Maeve (Mirren).
—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Schedeen starred alongside Max Wright, who played patriarch Willie Tanner and died in 2019.
—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Ringling Mansion, which belonged to the patriarch and his wife, Lou, was purchased in part by former circus trainmaster Joe Colossa in an effort to save the property and keep its legacy from fading from history.
—
Midwest Living,
11 June 2026
Produced by Guy Ritchie, MobLand stars Hardy as Harry Da Souza, the loyal fixer for the Harrigan crime family, which is led by powerful patriarch Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) and his conniving wife, Maeve (Mirren).
—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for patriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarch
Noun
-
Both my grandfathers had been coal miners.
-
Her grandfather was able to escape and later fought against the Nazis in the Russian army.
Noun
-
While the Athletics hosted the Angels in Sacramento, their Single-A affiliate minor league team, Stockton Ports, hosted lots of dads who were excited to take their kids, young and grown, out to the ball game.
-
The Cubs have two first-time dads, Swanson and pitcher Javier Assad, who are celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday with a deep appreciation of how fatherhood can affect their lives while navigating the challenges of being a big-leaguer.
Noun
-
Doherty's father, uncle, cousin and other family members are buried at the cemetery in Newton, Massachusetts.
-
The father, Marquise Anderson, said Joanna wet the bed on two occasions on a night in February at the house in the 1900 block of Daniel Street.
Cite this Entry
“Patriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarch. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
