1
as in adult
a person of advanced years
in that Asian society elders are accorded great respect
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in ancestor
one who is older than another
it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dean
the senior member of a group
as the elder of the contingent of living former presidents, he was accorded a place of highest honor at the ceremonies
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of elder
The government is expected to appoint Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party elder, as ambassador to the U.S., officials said.
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Natasha Frost, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Throughout history, elders in cultures around the world were the ones who were responsible to think about the future, pass on their wisdom, and make critical decisions to positively impact future generations.
—Jann E. Freed, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
The wedding day began with an intimate Telugu ceremony with blessings from the couple’s elders.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
The legendary André De Shields played the glamorous community leader Old Deuteronomy, and a cast of extraordinary dancers and voguing experts emphasized their solidarity with one another, and with their elders.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for elder 
Natasha Frost, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Throughout history, elders in cultures around the world were the ones who were responsible to think about the future, pass on their wisdom, and make critical decisions to positively impact future generations.
—Jann E. Freed, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
The wedding day began with an intimate Telugu ceremony with blessings from the couple’s elders.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
The legendary André De Shields played the glamorous community leader Old Deuteronomy, and a cast of extraordinary dancers and voguing experts emphasized their solidarity with one another, and with their elders.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
Noun
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Almost half of all U.S. adults have elevated blood pressure (systolic pressure between 120 and 19 and diastolic pressure less than 80).Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025
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The resort's Oasis Pool features water slides for big kids, a splash area for little ones, and a swim-up bar for adults.Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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When Pertinax abandoned a career as a teacher and joined the army, frontier wars had hollowed out the ranks, allowing his exceptional talent to catch his superiors’ attention.Jeffrey E. Schulman / Made by History, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
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Details of that process were previously reported by +972, an Israeli-Palestinian news website; the Israeli military has denied that was military policy and said that any analyst who relied solely on Lavender would have been overruled by superiors.Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The heroine feels a sense of belonging; she is told that this is the home of her ancestors.Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
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Martínez sought to both channel their energy and encourage younger generations to pursue the music of their ancestors.Solcyré Burga, TIME, 5 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Law school in Houston After applying to Texas Southern University in Houston, the school dean called him and told him frankly that the school needed to recruit more Latino people to justify its existence with a diverse student body to the state legislature.Richard J. Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Jan. 2025
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That would certainly work for the ambitious Verlander, the dean of the trio at 19 big-league seasons.Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Folks back in the day had Yoda as their feisty oldster and the kids now have Maz. 36.Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 May 2023
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The Duke is the true tale of an eccentric oldster who, in 1961, stole a Francisco Goya painting of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.Dallas News, Dallas News, 28 Apr. 2022
Noun
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Many theories persist as to what happened, whether Tony was killed or whether the cliffhanger insinuates that the mob boss would always live with the possibility of being murdered because of his dangerous profession.Skyler Trepel, People.com, 11 Jan. 2025
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Adapting to your boss’s communication style can lead to better collaboration and more effective decision-making.Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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President Joe Biden on Friday is set to award the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, to seven U.S. Army veterans for heroism during the Korean War and Vietnam War.Luis Martinez, ABC News, 3 Jan. 2025
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Death Toll Rises to 15 in New Orleans 'Terrorism' Attack According to multiple U.S. defense officials, Jabbar was a U.S. Army veteran who served on active duty from the mid-2000s to 2015, reported NBC News and CNN.Danielle Jennings, People.com, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Heimann avoided cardigans with fusty suede elbow patches or hefty yarn that can invoke infirm geriatrics.Valli Herman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
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Something similar happened at the other end of the age spectrum—a geriatric rumble.Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Articles Related to elder
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Cite this Entry
“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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