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 trajectory of income growth indicates that the current pace of consumer spending is likely to slow but still remain fairly solid, said Gus Faucher, senior vice president and chief economist at The PNC Financial Services Group. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 She is joined by Kate Fitzpatrick, senior programmer at Melbourne International Film Festival, and Andee Ryder, a BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning film producer. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
Outlaw came from having success in Bloomfield to coach at his alma mater and inherited a team that graduated 26 seniors and won two games last year. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026 Thompson, a 6-2, 350-pound senior from Hackensack, New Jersey, was recently ruled eligible after earning all-league honors in 2025. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 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
  • Their chaotic path eventually brings them to a wealthy elderly woman who is blind.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But on that Sunday in 2024, Wagner spoke to a nearly empty church — about 12 elderly members, sitting far apart from one another in a sanctuary built for a thousand people.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of elderly
Noun
  • By remaining involved in the businesses their ancestors began, these families have preserved and expanded their wealth across multiple generations while also shaping the American business landscape.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
  • John Spencer, at the time heir to the Spencer earldom and styled as Viscount Althorp, was two years older than Queen Elizabeth II and descended from a long line of ancestors who served the British crown.
    — Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • But after Dougan raised the concerns, the lawsuit says, his superiors took disciplinary action against him.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Reuveni, who had been promoted to serve as the acting deputy director for the Office of Immigration Litigation, warned his superiors that the government might be in violation of the court order.
    — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of superior
Noun
  • He was nominated for the award by his supervisor at Moraine Valley, Terra Jacobson, dean of Learning Resources, who also teaches a graduate class at Dominican, along with colleagues Marie Martino and Jayne Killackey.
    — Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Guzman, a former law school dean who became provost in 2023, faced similar tests over protests and free speech.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of dean
Noun
  • And, a consistent thread over the years, many students were interested in learning from their elders – everything from family histories to intergenerational advice and tough conversations about grief.
    — Janet W. Lee, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Often, the pincher is in the company of an elder who lectures to her.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of elder
Adjective
  • The proximity to his father was what worried Lorena Zschaber, a 40-year-old photographer, who watched the results roll in at an LGBTQ+ friendly bar in downtown Rio de Janeiro.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The 168-year-old magazine’s breakout journalism, its digital success, and a bit of good timing have given both Goldberg and Thompson plenty to brag about on the media podcast circuit.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of old
Noun
  • Much of coaching football is taking ideas from your predecessors and adopting them as your own with a personal twist.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Williams and James entered the season under a lot of scrutiny given the impact their predecessors, Love and Jadarian Price, made last season on the Notre Dame offense.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of predecessor
Noun
  • Drivers knew the back entrances, the factory layouts, and the best path to the boss of a mom-and-pop workshop.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Serena tells him his former boss Elliott Wyatt recommended him highly, which is strange given his former reticence.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of boss

Phrases Containing senior

Browse Nearby Words

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 7 Oct. 2026.

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