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
Our forefathers developed low and slow traditions, and that’s a part of barbecue.
—
Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
View Comments Following the footsteps of her fashion forefathers is also difficult because of high costs and red tape.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Rise up like the American forefathers did a few hundred years ago.
—Joe Hudicka, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Trapping has evolved quite a bit since our forefathers first set out for beaver in the 1800s.
—Skye Goode, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
View Comments Following the footsteps of her fashion forefathers is also difficult because of high costs and red tape.
—Leah Dolan, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
Rise up like the American forefathers did a few hundred years ago.
—Joe Hudicka, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Trapping has evolved quite a bit since our forefathers first set out for beaver in the 1800s.
—Skye Goode, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forefather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forefather
Noun
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Until recently, the ancestors of insects were thought to be more millipede-like and evolved once invertebrates began to live on land.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 Apr. 2025
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During the Pleistocene, our ancestors lived through several different ice ages.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The filmmaker's grandfather on his mother's side, who died before Coogler was born, and his Uncle James, who passed away during the making of Creed, were from Mississippi.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
28 Jan. 2025
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Following his grandfather’s passing in 2014, Sanders felt an undeniable pull toward music.—
Ethan Stone,
USA TODAY,
28 Jan. 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
Cite this Entry
“Forefather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forefather. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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