as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
our forefathers bought this farm, and our family has worked it for three generations
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Recent Examples of forefather
Remember: In 1776, our forefathers had the courage to use the power of the press to call attention to a tyrant by the name of King George.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
The series, based on the popular BBC show of the same name, is considered a forefather of Saturday Night Live and other live comedy shows.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 July 2025
Decades later, Margaret’s son moved his famous forefather’s skull yet again, to the Roper family vault at St. Dunstan’s Church in Canterbury.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025
The younger members of the Katzenellenbogen clan are certain that their forefathers’ way of life is no longer viable.
—Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
The series, based on the popular BBC show of the same name, is considered a forefather of Saturday Night Live and other live comedy shows.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 July 2025
Decades later, Margaret’s son moved his famous forefather’s skull yet again, to the Roper family vault at St. Dunstan’s Church in Canterbury.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025
The younger members of the Katzenellenbogen clan are certain that their forefathers’ way of life is no longer viable.
—Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefather
Noun
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Demosponges are soft and squishy filter feeders and their ancestors likely shared similar characteristics.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Where Lil Boosie and Kevin Gates are hometown heroes, two artists who are direct ancestors for YoungBoy’s style, YoungBoy is more notorious, fodder for the gossip shows and the minor podcasts that infiltrate their way onto your timeline.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The oak tree, which his grandfather watched grow, was an important fixture in Taylor's own childhood.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
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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
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Forefather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefather. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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