1
as in grandfather
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
Bridie's Irish ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 19th century during the Great Potato Famine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
pinball machines—the ancestors of today's video games—go back to the 19th century
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ancestor
What if, centuries ago, one of your ancestors chose not to immigrate to a new country?
—
Nuno Fernandes, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Eligibility has now been narrowed to those with Italian parents or grandparents, as opposed to any Italian ancestor who was alive after the country was formed in 1861.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
The state House gave preliminary approval to creating a statewide reparations commission to study benefits for the Marylanders whose ancestors were enslaved.
—Natalie Jones, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2025
The ancestors of tens of millions of Americans left miserable lives in Ireland for initially difficult ones here.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Nuno Fernandes, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Eligibility has now been narrowed to those with Italian parents or grandparents, as opposed to any Italian ancestor who was alive after the country was formed in 1861.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
The state House gave preliminary approval to creating a statewide reparations commission to study benefits for the Marylanders whose ancestors were enslaved.
—Natalie Jones, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2025
The ancestors of tens of millions of Americans left miserable lives in Ireland for initially difficult ones here.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestor
Noun
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Given his grandfather’s negative views on homosexuality, Min has not yet discussed being gay with his grandmother.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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Her family is from the Bahamas, and Bowe's 92-year-old grandfather traveled to Texas to watch her launch to space.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Yet this brand of Christian Zionism is clearly the forerunner to today’s – and holds sway in Washington.—
Shalom Goldman,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2025
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The title is an apt, if sort of obvious, introduction to Turner, who has been hailed as the forerunner to modern art.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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It is understood that father and son didn’t meet before Charles and Camilla headed to Italy.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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In 1913, his father acquired the famed Indore Pear diamonds from Chaumet, marking the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the historic Parisian Maison, Christie’s said.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In addition, neighborhoods would no longer be required — as a precursor to meters — to test out two-hour and three-hour parking zones enforced by chalking tires instead of meters.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
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Directed by Arthur Penn, who brought a bold visual style, frank sexuality and graphic, balletic violence to a Hollywood dominated by optimistic pictures, this countercultural romance served as a precursor to the generational tension and mistrust in authority that was quietly pervading the country.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Smith, though, applies the moniker more readily to his predecessors who ventured heroically into the relative unknown.—
Julia Boatman,
Robb Report,
12 Apr. 2025
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Scattered but often intriguing, Season 6 marked both an improvement on its predecessor and a departure from the series’ typically grim, ironic, dystopian science fiction.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After earmarking 610 billion won ($414 million) to build a battery plant near its Busan headquarters, the company unveiled its battery prototype in March 2024, touting it as more powerful than Tesla’s.—
Gloria Haraito,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Amazon launched a pair of prototype satellites in 2023, but the operational versions are different, and this mission fills the capacity of ULA's Atlas V rocket.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestor. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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