1
as in grandfather
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
Bridie's Irish ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 19th century during the Great Potato Famine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
pinball machines—the ancestors of today's video games—go back to the 19th century
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 ancestor
This neurological response evolved to keep our ancestors alive in genuinely dangerous situations.
—
Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
For example, the modern population of Rapa Nui are mixed race, from both Polynesian and South American ancestors.
—Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
But only learned at 75 years old, after talking with the archaeologists, that his ancestors also made a life in the Wyoming town much earlier.
—Jenna McMurtry, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
This hints that our closest ancestor may have emerged 400,000 years earlier than previously thought.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
For example, the modern population of Rapa Nui are mixed race, from both Polynesian and South American ancestors.
—Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
But only learned at 75 years old, after talking with the archaeologists, that his ancestors also made a life in the Wyoming town much earlier.
—Jenna McMurtry, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
This hints that our closest ancestor may have emerged 400,000 years earlier than previously thought.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestor
Noun
-
The oak tree, which his grandfather watched grow, was an important fixture in Taylor's own childhood.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Her background is in conservation, marine biology and ecology, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, John McConnell, founder and creator of Earth Day.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Schuyler, who a decade ago sold her company, Epitome Pictures, to DHX Media, a forerunner of Wild Brain Entertainment, was not available for comment on Wednesday.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When Usagi is approached by Ryuji (Kento Kaku), an academic obsessed with discovering the secrets of the afterlife, she is lured back into Borderland by the chance to see her father one more time.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Carolyn Smith, the late preacher’s daughter, said her father — like Pendleton a Knoxville College graduate — was instrumental in recruiting Pendleton and other Black educators to teach in San Diego.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The car was a precursor to the Testarossa and one of 1,007 made.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Certification is a necessary precursor for allowing a vehicle to approach the orbiting laboratory.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His Republican predecessors, Schmitt and, before him, Josh Hawley, also used the position to advance conservative causes, wage fights against progressive ones and raise their national profiles.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Much less of a radical reconception, Restorative Darks is, Kantz admits, the palette that most closely resembles its Volume One predecessor.—
Tim Nelson,
Architectural Digest,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For now, HydroFlexor and HydroBuckler are only lab-scale prototypes.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Endurance racing like the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the Rolex 24 at Daytona has seen record crowds over the last few years, and a large part of that is down to the sports prototype class, exemplified by cars from the likes of Ferrari and Porsche.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestor. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share