FOREFATHER Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

forefather

noun

ˈfȯr-ˌfä-t͟hər

Definition of forefather

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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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 forefather Kelly was one of the most prominent Black fashion designers of the 1980s, and his peers included Willi Smith, known as a forefather of modern-day streetwear, and Dapper Dan, a beloved auteur of hip-hop haberdashery. — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 2 June 2026 Our economic systems are not serving the people who live here, whose forefathers established this new republic, and our grandparents actualized the peak of its success. — Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Our forefathers believed that democracy was the best means to establish a meritocracy. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 May 2026 Moritz Grossmann was one of the forefathers of German watchmaking in Glashütte. — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forefather

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefather

Noun

The discovery led to a complete redesign of the project, shifting the hotel inland to preserve the sacred site and honor the ancestors who remain there.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
The small, troubled Trask family represents isolation, generational trauma and dysfunctional cycles in contrast to the large, loving and morally grounded Hamilton family, who are modeled after Steinbeck’s own maternal ancestors.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of ancestor

Noun

Alongside his mother, Paola Moscatelli, who serves as chief executive officer, Vicentini came to work for his grandfather right before COVID-19 after a career as an architect at OXO Architects in Paris.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Blending comedy, family drama and supernatural elements, the film revolves around the relationship between a Gen Z grandson and his war-veteran grandfather.

— Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of grandfather

Noun

Ellison clinched the deal by sweetening the offer price and bringing his father, Larry Ellison, in to personally guarantee funding.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Gyllenhaal’s father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, is a director and her mother, Naomi Foner, a screenwriter.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of father

Browse Nearby Words

foredooms

forefather

forefathers

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

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Synonyms of forefather

noun

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