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
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
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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To end the war and reunite the remaining hostages with their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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In one study conducted by sociologist Katherine Conger at the University of California, Davis, fully 65% of mothers and 70% of fathers confessed to having a favorite child.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An afternoon playdate between two stay-at-home dads turns into high-stakes chaos in Entertainment Weekly's exclusive first look at Playdate.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
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This tee is an inexpensive Christmas gift for dads that doesn’t compromise on quality.—
L. Daniela Alvarez,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Now a young man, he's recently started a new chapter as an Army private first class and plans to follow in his father's and grandfathers’ military footsteps.—
Susan Young,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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The pride of Santa Elena's silletero families is palpable, with everyone from young children to grandmothers and grandfathers tracing the route of the culminating parade carrying their creations on their backs.—
Carley Rojas Ávila,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patriarchs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarchs. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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