ÉMINENCE GRISE Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

éminence grise

noun

ā-mē-näⁿs-ˈgrēz

Definition of éminence grise

as in elder statesman

the senior member of a group the revered éminence grise of Civil War historians

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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 éminence grise But none have matched JPMorgan, which, under the leadership of Wall Street’s eminence grise Jamie Dimon, has thrived. — Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024 Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him. — Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise. — Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022 That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory. — Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2021 In the world of the candle obsessed, Diptyque is the eminence grise. — Kathleen Hou, The Cut, 16 Jan. 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for éminence grise

Noun

Yesterday’s punk, grunge, and rebel-outsider upstarts have an uncanny way of evolving into today’s elder statesmen of respectable infamy.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
The squad’s elder statesmen set standards on the pitch and in the dressing room to help their more junior colleagues along their journey.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of elder statesman

Noun

The ceremony also marked the return of Japanese industry veteran Takeo Hisamatsu as festival director, following the departure of former chairman Hiroyasu Ando earlier this year.

— Gavin Blair, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
The Athens, Georgia, jam-band veterans will close out 2026 with two Charlotte performances, including a New Year’s Eve concert.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of veteran

Noun

Making small talk, for instance, can help forge both personal and professional relationships down the line, says Kristie Patten, dean of NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

— Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Now in its third year, women make up a majority of the BHC's enrollment, according to the college's dean, Boatamo Ati Mosupyoe.

— Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of dean

Noun

The Nordic communal goal is a focus on holistic well-being that can be sustained over the long term by every individual, from professional athletes in their prime to elders.

— Lola Akinmade, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Beyond absorbing his elders’ influences, LaFarge’s schoolmates were also impactful.

— Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of elder

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éminence grise

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“éminence grise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/%C3%A9minence%20grise. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of éminence grise

noun

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