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senior 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of seniornext
as in elderly
being of advanced years and especially past middle age bought special food intended for senior dogs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

senior

2 of 2

noun

ˈsē-nyər How to pronounce senior (audio)
1
as in ancestor
one who is older than another since the man next door is my senior by a number of years, I always address him as "Mr. Barton"

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superior
one who is above another in rank, station, or office the young attorney benefited from the mentorship of one of his seniors at the firm

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3
as in dean
the senior member of a group when he retires, she will be the senior on the faculty

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4
as in elder
a person of advanced years weekday movie matinees are often popular with seniors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 senior
Adjective
The only score given up in the second half was a 30-yard pass from Rogers to senior running back Noah Roberts. — Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 In that case, senior officials at Halkbank were said to have illegally moved about $20 billion worth of Iranian oil revenues. — Farnoush Amiri, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
Quarter-peck bags are also available for children and seniors only, and children under seven are free to enter with their family. — Catherine Messier, The Providence Journal, 11 Sep. 2026 The film concerns a bus full of French high-school seniors on a trip to Pompeii, where the long gaze of history meets their hormonal entanglements and a bunch of Freudian desire. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for senior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for senior
  1. elderly
  2. ancestor
  3. superior
  4. dean
  5. elder
  6. old
  7. predecessor
  8. boss
Adjective
  • So, for example, 4 NAZA would mean four other people killed — women, children, elderly, the term doesn’t differentiate.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • In the film, Efira plays Marie-Lou, who runs a care facility outside Paris and pushes for gentler treatment of its elderly residents.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of elderly
Noun
  • Patrick Scribner has only limited memories of what, for generations, was home to his ancestors.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The Millers also see the hand of their ancestors in all of this.
    — Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • Bartholow reported to her superiors at SEIU California that Regan stood uncomfortably close and hovered over her at the bar at a fundraiser for the state Senate leader in San Diego in March as tensions flared over the billionaire tax.
    — Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Nobody seems to work much, though, the employees are consumed by gossip, crushes, and confusion about their coworkers, superiors, and others who lurk in their building.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of superior
Noun
  • In 1961, Carrie Meek became the first Black educator at Miami Dade College, then called North Dade Junior College, working her way through the ranks to associate dean and eventually becoming a state legislator and congresswoman.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Rao Unnava stepped down as dean of the Graduate School of Management on July 1 after serving in that position for a decade.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of dean
Noun
  • Her plans include creating a ballroom, cultural and arts center where younger people can practice, newcomers can learn the history and elders can transfer their knowledge.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Borges may not be able to see the scenery, but delights in every scrap of local color, to a degree that the American — tasked with describing everything to his elder, in suitably lyrical terms — finds quite wearisome.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of elder
Adjective
  • The sheriff's office's drone was used to assist in checking the approximately 28-acre property and helped identify old kennel and animal-confinement areas.
    — River Valley Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The 27-year-old pre-training researcher’s dramatic resignation has fired off a provocative warning on X that instantly sent ripples across the tech sector.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of old
Noun
  • He and Titans predecessor Derrick Henry are the only players on a current streak of four.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Landry was crowned Miss USA in 1996, taking on the crown from predecessor Shanna Moakler.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of predecessor
Noun
  • Ahead of being presented with the award, the animation boss sat down with Deadline to talk about his work, and tease some of what’s next.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Bertrand is a hands-on boss, and even when relaxing by the pool or doing a little skeet shooting, a worried one.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of boss

Phrases Containing senior

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senility
senior
senior citizen
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Cite this Entry

“Senior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/senior. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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