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
Like their Marxist forefathers, the neocons firmly accepted the existence of a predicable, long- term process of social evolution.
—
Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
To better their condition in an unknown land our forefathers left all that was dear in earthly objects.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 27 Sep. 2024
The work provided some vindication to one of the forefathers of coregonine research, Walter Koeltz.
—Keith Matheny, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
There’s a reason our forefathers placed limits on the military’s role in domestic affairs.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
To better their condition in an unknown land our forefathers left all that was dear in earthly objects.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 27 Sep. 2024
The work provided some vindication to one of the forefathers of coregonine research, Walter Koeltz.
—Keith Matheny, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
There’s a reason our forefathers placed limits on the military’s role in domestic affairs.
—Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 6 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefather
Noun
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Then the fire last month destroyed nearly everything inside the house: the handwritten letters from Ms. Edmiston’s father, who was once the mayor of Beverly Hills; a tin menorah that her ancestors brought from Russia and Poland; and, of course, nearly all the cookie jars.—
Corina Knoll,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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Because of this, many scientists believed that early and classic Neanderthals had a lower genetic diversity than their pre-Neanderthal ancestors.—
Discover Magazine,
Discover Magazine,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Kenney’s achievement came after his grandfather Tim Reid died at the age of 61 earlier this month.—
Dave Melton,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
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Over breakfast on the day after the announcement was made, Venetia’s grandfather was reading the account of the new planet aloud from the paper and the young girl straightaway recommended the name Pluto, the ruler of the underworld.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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At least four of the detainees whose families spoke with the Herald are fathers to children 5 years old or younger.—
Claire Healy,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
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Yarden Bibas, Shiri’s husband and the father of the two redheaded boys, was abducted separately during the attack, which set off Israel’s 15-month war in Gaza that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and left much of the enclave in ruins.—
Isabel Kershner,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forefather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefather. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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