ancestral

adjective

Definition of ancestralnext
as in historic

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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 ancestral The Karuk Tribe manages land along the Klamath River, its ancestral territory for thousands of years. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026 From early on, there were divisions between Ladino-speaking Sephardic Jews, with ancestral ties to medieval Spain and Portugal, and Yiddish-speaking Ashkenazi Jews, who traced their heritage to central and eastern Europe. — Ashley Walters, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 Created with his wife Nkuthazo Alexis Dyalvane, the work incorporates cow hair, leather and grass, influenced by ritual adornments, reflecting ancestral knowledge, healing and spiritual transformation. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 The siblings grew up at Park House on the royal family’s Sandringham estate, before moving into their family’s ancestral home, Althorp, in 1975. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ancestral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestral
  1. historic
  2. old-world
  3. ancient
  4. old-time
  5. historical
  6. habitual
  7. old
Adjective
  • The series follows the Canadian team’s historic run to the World Cup final, where they were ultimately toppled by host country England, going down 33-13 in front of a sellout crowd of 82,000 at Twickenham Stadium in South West London.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • America was shoddy caulk oozing from a vinyl arc in a historic heatwave.
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of historic
Adjective
  • Hiller plays Aldrict, an old-world vampire who has crossed paths with Liz several times over the centuries and is a bit of a troublemaker.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Her own furnishings and finishes are elegant and, not unlike her paintings, old-world but not old-fashioned.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of old-world
Adjective
  • Our research is already leading in new directions beyond ancient interiors.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • For scientists, the harder question has been how oxygen stayed abundant for millions of years afterward — long enough, as ancient rocks suggest, to set the stage for the emergence of increasingly complex life.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • Bluegrass jams attract spectators who marvel at the players’ pyrotechnics; old-time jams get people on their feet.
    — David Alm, Longreads, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But On the Rocks has the potential to draw customers to Burleson from far around for an old-time Italian restaurant experience with pastas and grill dishes, cocktails, wines and a piano bar.
    — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of old-time
Adjective
  • Annals are historical records arranged by year; the clue leverages the entry’s singular form to misdirect us.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Although robust buyer demand briefly drove yields down to session lows following the auction, yield levels above 5% remain substantially higher than the historical norm over the past decade.
    — , CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of historical
Adjective
  • One was to note that a habitual marijuana user had made some disastrous driving decisions.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Lowery pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter in addition to possession of a firearm by a felon in July, both Class D felonies with habitual offender status.
    — Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of habitual
Adjective
  • The proximity to his father was what worried Lorena Zschaber, a 40-year-old photographer, who watched the results roll in at an LGBTQ+ friendly bar in downtown Rio de Janeiro.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The 168-year-old magazine’s breakout journalism, its digital success, and a bit of good timing have given both Goldberg and Thompson plenty to brag about on the media podcast circuit.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of old

Browse Nearby Words

ancestors
ancestral
ancestress
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ancestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestral. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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