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
Our forefathers founded this country, and our grandfathers fought and died, and people are still fighting and dying for our right to argue.
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Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Our forefathers must be turning over in their graves.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2024
But with relaxed censorship and a new governmental push to foster cinematic culture, the late 1990s saw the formation of the prolific South Korean auteurs best known internationally today—the forefathers of the New Korean Cinema.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 28 Oct. 2024
Their forefathers and descendants have been on this land for nearly 300 years starting as slaves on the plantations.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for forefather 
Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Our forefathers must be turning over in their graves.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2024
But with relaxed censorship and a new governmental push to foster cinematic culture, the late 1990s saw the formation of the prolific South Korean auteurs best known internationally today—the forefathers of the New Korean Cinema.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 28 Oct. 2024
Their forefathers and descendants have been on this land for nearly 300 years starting as slaves on the plantations.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for forefather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefather
Noun
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In another ironic twist, Kayce sells it for the ridiculously low price of $1.25 an acre, the original price his ancestors paid.Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Dec. 2024
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This is all mirrored by wordless sequences depicting the Simpson family’s prehistoric ancestors, rendered in an entirely different animation style that calls to mind cave etchings, as well as primordial Simpsons designs.Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Coincidentally, his maternal grandfather had been a groundskeeper on John D. Rockefeller’s nearby estate, Kykuit.Marty Steinberg, CNBC, 26 Dec. 2024
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In a gallery on TikTok, Katelynn Oxley shared images from Google Earth showing her late grandfather teaching her how to play softball in 2012.Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Stack has attributed this to his father’s short temper.Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
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Officials said the charges came after investigators presented additional evidence to a grand jury following the arrest of 33-year-old Andrew Kammerer, the child's father.Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 22 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near forefather
Cite this Entry
“Forefather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefather. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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