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
Salazar said his ancestors lived in harmony with mountain lions for over 10,000 years, not by eliminating them but by learning from them.
—
Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
One ancestor fought for the Union during the Civil War, and her mom still lives on the land that's been in their family since the 1800s.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 6 July 2025
This novel is based on the author’s ancestors and set against the backdrop of a nation engulfed in racial chaos.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
The gift of 'The Mahabharata' that my ancestors gave me is truly the gift that keeps giving.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
One ancestor fought for the Union during the Civil War, and her mom still lives on the land that's been in their family since the 1800s.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 6 July 2025
This novel is based on the author’s ancestors and set against the backdrop of a nation engulfed in racial chaos.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
The gift of 'The Mahabharata' that my ancestors gave me is truly the gift that keeps giving.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ancestor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestor
Noun
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This is all thanks to Jane Blaffer Owen an oil heiress from Houston (her father was one of the founders of a company that’s now ExxonMobil and her grandfather established the company that ultimately became Texaco), whose husband, Kenneth Dale Owen was a descendent of New Harmony’s founders.—
Rima Suqi,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
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Back in November 2023, Johnson proudly showed off that his granddaughter had dressed up just like her NBA player grandfather.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Last week the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case Little vs. Hecox, which began in 2020 when Idaho became a forerunner for states with laws that ban trans athletes in women's and girls' sports.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 July 2025
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For some years, the Octagon was home to Ohio’s militia, a forerunner to today’s National Guard; during the summer, soldiers would erect tents and practice training exercises.—
Kevin Williams,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 May 2025
Noun
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My father never got to speak for himself because his health robbed him of that chance.—
Rance Collins,
IndieWire,
20 July 2025
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Over the two decades that Al-Waleed was in a coma, his father opted to keep him on life support and often shared social media footage of himself and other family members praying for his son's recovery.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
20 July 2025
Noun
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Chinese authorities have since controlled a number of these precursor chemicals.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
12 July 2025
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As a precursor of sorts for CBS stalwart Survivor (which returns for its 49th edition on September 24), Big Brother is the perfect reality appetizer before the ultimate main course.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Alas, the rest of moisturizer is serious, almost subdued, at least compared with its rollicking predecessor.—
Armin Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
25 July 2025
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That’s one of the challenges that Gearbox confronted when developing Borderlands 4 (out Sept. 12), a sequel that’s due to arrive in a very different gaming landscape than its predecessor.—
Jonathan Zavaleta,
Rolling Stone,
25 July 2025
Noun
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This looks to be a pre-release model, but one that has advanced beyond the basic prototype stage.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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The first prototypes, Coyote Rovers, started as Boston Dynamics Spot robots.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestor. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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