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
Gasoline prices are beginning to disconnect from oil prices, instead trading on storage levels, or inventories, according to Rob Thummel, senior portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital Advisors LLC. — Kevin Crowley, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026 Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said the administration’s initiative to fight election fraud does not justify the collection of confidential voter information. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
Nationwide, Webb is one of many seniors who have exhausted their eligibility and would not be able to get waivers under the new NCAA rules. — Pj Green july 30, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 Who’s gonna be delivering the meals to the seniors who can’t get out and do their shopping or cook for themselves? — Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic, 30 July 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
  • At 80 years old, Occhicone became the second-oldest inmate ever executed in the United States and the oldest inmate ever executed in Florida, which is putting more elderly prisoners to death than any other state in the nation.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • The government also gave the green light for private care facilities for elderly Cubans — many young Cubans who would have traditionally cared for their aging relatives have migrated abroad.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
Definition of elderly
Noun
  • Those with the funds to file a court case, essentially suing the Italian state for sexism against their female ancestors, are likely to win, but legal action is lengthy and costly.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Therefore, this benefit must reach everyone, not only those whose ancestors match the reference sets from past decades.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • High achievers seek out new opportunities, consistently deliver strong results and earn the trust of their superiors.
    — Kim Meninger, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • So Parker telephoned the base posing as the doctor of Adams’ supposedly ailing mother and talked the young soldier’s superiors into issuing an emergency furlough.
    — Dan Kelly July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of superior
Noun
  • In 1986, she was appointed as the associate dean of arts and letters at the Kendall campus and 10 years later, Holloway was appointed academic dean at the Wolfson campus under then-president Eduardo Padron.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
  • Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Berkeley Law (ACLU Presidential Prize); and Elizabeth Foster, a South Carolina advocate for the freedom to read (the also-new ACLU Next Generation Leader in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties award).
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 25 July 2026
Definition of dean
Noun
  • Seventy percent of the workforce are caregivers of children, elders, people with disabilities, or others.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The woman Morris was convicted of abusing, Cindy Clemishire, has filed a $1 million defamation suit against Morris, the church, former and current elders, and a former church employee in Dallas County.
    — Giles Hudson, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of elder
Adjective
  • The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele, was spotted by plainclothes federal agents who observed odd behavior and subsequently contacted the Lomita Sheriff Department deputies.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In honor of the upcoming movie, the All Roads Lead to Camp bus is touring across the country and bringing fans, new and old, into the world of Camp Rock, PEOPLE previously revealed exclusively.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of old
Noun
  • Another study, published in 2023, suggested the lack of sudden, major floodwaters funneling into Lake Cahuilla, the larger historical predecessor to the Salton Sea, may have something to do with it.
    — Rong-Gong Lin II Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Mamdani’s predecessor Eric Adams shuttered the $2 billion fiber-optic buildout started a few years earlier under Mayor Bill de Blasio.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of predecessor
Noun
  • Although German sportswear brand Puma reported a slip in sales in the second quarter, the company’s bosses remain optimistic that their plan to bring the brand back to growth by 2027 is on the right track.
    — Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
  • For example, public acknowledgement via a shoutout, private recognition from a boss, or receiving a high level of achievement through a review can be memorable forms of recognition to employees.
    — Rick Elliott, Forbes.com, 31 July 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 6 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of senior for Spanish Speakers

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