as in fathers
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 patriarchs
After that session, the three patriarchs began reaching out to other heavyweight clans.
—
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2025
In addition to Leo and Bartholomew, the participants of the commemorative service included priests, patriarchs and bishops from Orthodox Greek, Syrian, Coptic, Malankarese, Armenian, Protestant and Anglican churches.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2025
Forty years after opening, Union Square Cafe is one of the prosperous patriarchs of the New York restaurant world.
—Christine Muhlke, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Popes and Orthodox patriarchs honor him, and Pärt’s music has received the highest levels of recognition, including Grammy Awards.
—Jeffers Engelhardt, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Leo drew attention to a joint statement by the Latin and Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem, who announced that the priests and nuns in the two Christian churches in Gaza City would stay put, despite Israeli evacuation orders ahead of the Gaza City offensive.
—Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
The ladle in a kitchen drawer leads her to the Big Dipper and Joseph’s pit and the wells dug by the patriarchs in the book of Genesis.
—Ilana Kurshan, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 27 Dec. 2025
In addition to Leo and Bartholomew, the participants of the commemorative service included priests, patriarchs and bishops from Orthodox Greek, Syrian, Coptic, Malankarese, Armenian, Protestant and Anglican churches.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2025
Forty years after opening, Union Square Cafe is one of the prosperous patriarchs of the New York restaurant world.
—Christine Muhlke, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Popes and Orthodox patriarchs honor him, and Pärt’s music has received the highest levels of recognition, including Grammy Awards.
—Jeffers Engelhardt, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Leo drew attention to a joint statement by the Latin and Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem, who announced that the priests and nuns in the two Christian churches in Gaza City would stay put, despite Israeli evacuation orders ahead of the Gaza City offensive.
—Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
The ladle in a kitchen drawer leads her to the Big Dipper and Joseph’s pit and the wells dug by the patriarchs in the book of Genesis.
—Ilana Kurshan, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarchs
Noun
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Going to be awesome fathers and husbands and leaders of the community, way beyond football.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
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Bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile aimed wrathful lyrics and gallows humor at a culture of misogyny that plagued their daily lives, from condescending male musicians to abusive fathers.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Their twins—John and William, named for their grandfathers—were lost.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Nov. 2025
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In his latest partnership with Ancestry as part of the organization’s Thank You for Your Service campaign, Bass got to learn even more about both of his grandfathers’ service in the war.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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While tens of millions of Americans do support shutting down and securing our borders while rounding up dangerous criminals who have entered our nation illegally, many are also deeply troubled to see moms and dads being pulled out of a Home Depot or a Walmart in sight of their crying children.—
Douglas Mackinnon,
Boston Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
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In 2023, the couple also started their first charity organization, the Moment Makers Foundation, which supports Olympic and Paralympic moms and dads with child care assistance.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Patriarchs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarchs. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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