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as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority as the grand dames of local society, they determined which charities received support

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 dame Photo : Tiffany & Co. Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Bird on a Rock Few designs once relegated to old society’s grand dame’s jewelry boxes have made such an astounding comeback as Tiffany’s Bird on a Rock. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025 Grand Hotel Parker’s Naples’ historic grand dame occupies a privileged position on a hill in the elegant Chiaia neighborhood, with sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius in the distance. Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024 She was made a dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, and worked for another decade in entertainment before retiring in 2014. Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2025 In 2004, Plowright was made a dame by the late Queen Elizabeth II. Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dame
Noun
  • The empress dowager’s legacy Empress Dowager Ling was largely unsuccessful in her bid for power.
    Stephanie Balkwill, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Playing an acid-tongue dowager or master teacher of witchcraft came naturally to her, but what thrilled her about acting was its transformative freedom.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Noun
  • Trump’s appearance was yet another solo outing in her official capacity as first lady.
    Meredith Kile, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The second lady was originally scheduled to headline the trip and spend several days on the world's largest island, taking in Greenlandic cultural sites, but the visit sparked backlash from Greenland's interim government and Danish leaders who noted an invitation was never extended.
    Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Nonetheless, the position of policewoman was such a resounding public relations success that Los Angeles soon expanded its roster to three female police officers and three police matrons.
    Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The jury of matrons disappeared from Australia’s courts.
    Alice Neikirk, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 July 2024
Noun
  • While Jon is bound to leadership by a sense of duty, Daenerys sees herself as a liberator, a queen steeped in moral righteousness who freed slaves across the sea for the greater good.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 July 2017
  • THE TRENDSETTER Salt & Straw is the homecoming queen of ice cream in LA.
    Cole Kazdin, Los Angeles Magazine, 14 July 2017
Noun
  • An epic love story between an American big game hunter and a British countess was upended by the strangling mores of class and tradition.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Well, in this case, maybe a countess: At awards shows, the actor likes to tap into her inner Bravolebrity—Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, specifically.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dame. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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