patriarchs

noun

plural of patriarch
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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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 patriarchs The patriarchs of élite white families banded together, organizing secret paramilitaries that could be activated on a moment’s notice. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026 Sometimes finding the right trees can be an adventure, hiking into forests and mountains to find the oldest trees, patriarchs that hold centuries of information. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 28 June 2026 Instead, Reynolds observes that these sober men bore little resemblance to the roistering patriarchs of the remote plantations. — James Traub, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 The road continues from Beersheba to Hebron, home to the Cave of the Patriarchs, purchased by Abraham some 3,800 years ago and traditionally regarded as the resting place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs. — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026 Rebekah, in the Hebrew Bible, matriarch who is the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob, both key patriarchs. — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026 What father would ever allow such devastation, assuring fellow patriarchs that their lives without sons would be ruined forever? — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patriarchs
  1. fathers
  2. grandfathers
  3. dads
Noun
  • Kirkman was part of a summer cohort alongside other Atlanta fathers.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Economists and other social scientists have long recognized that mothers spend more time than fathers on childcare, even when both parents work full time.
    — Kristy Buzard, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fathers
Noun
  • Born in Russell County, Virginia, Hubbard was largely raised by his grandfathers, both union coal miners with missing fingers, and still speaks with an Appalachian twang.
    — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Sorrell, whose grandfathers both played in the majors, slugged 23 home runs and 20 doubles in 56 games while drawing 33 walks and striking out 61 times.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of grandfathers
Noun
  • Our dads are so supportive and down to earth, and that plays a huge part in us not being out of our minds.
    — Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Hair braiding 101 Armed with a glass of cold liquid courage and an arsenal of hair elastics and barrettes, dads paired up with one of Strands Aveda’s stylists to learn their daughter’s hairstyle of choice.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of dads

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patriarchal
patriarchs
patrician
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Cite this Entry

“Patriarchs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patriarchs. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of patriarchs for Spanish Speakers

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