elder

1
2
as in superior
one who is above another in rank, station, or office as your elder in the company, he is within his rights to tell you what to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in ancestor
one who is older than another it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

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 elder That to me seems like one of the ways—cooking can be another—in which elders can be vulnerable and pass on knowledge. Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 18 Mar. 2025 Four of the church’s elders were removed by the board in November 2024 after an independent investigation revealed that the elders had knowledge of Morris’ behavior prior to Clemishire speaking out. Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Mar. 2025 There’s a lot going on in your 40s: raising a family, paying a mortgage, shuttling kids to and from activities, caring for elders—all while working. Lina Storm, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 Wilmore, an elder in his Baptist church, is excited to resume face-to-face ministry and enjoy the scent of fresh-cut grass. Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
Noun
  • That's when the two adult dogs and two puppies cornered Avery, barking and growling at her.
    Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Previously, a child in Texas died in February, and an adult in New Mexico died in March.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The contract also maintains its unusual provision allowing Sanders to disclose any athletically related outside income to his superiors verbally, thus enabling him to follow NCAA bylaws while ensuring that no public paper trail is created for these earnings.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Your career trajectory could change after seeking advice from one of your superiors.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • During the Pleistocene, our ancestors lived through several different ice ages.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Seidel and the university’s board of trustees, which met just before Wright was terminated as dean, have denied that his demotion was in retaliation for his refusing to transfer the funds.
    Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • But it was trashed by H. L. Mencken, editor of the Baltimore Sun and dean of America‘s literary critics.
    Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Who among us oldsters doesn’t enjoy a good VFX-costume parlay?
    Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Folks back in the day had Yoda as their feisty oldster and the kids now have Maz. 36.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 May 2023
Noun
  • There is no doubt that Müller gave everything, but in retrospect, the Bayern boss will have to answer the uncomfortable question of whether starting the 2014 World Cup winner was the right choice in the first place.
    Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • For some reason, my boss has never questioned me or been suspicious of anything.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Before the game, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said veteran pitcher Yu Darvish was progressing in playing catch, but there was no specific timetable for his return from elbow inflammation.
    Dennis Lin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The union represents nurses caring for patients' physical and mental health at veterans facilities around the country.
    Andrea Hsu, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Faced with a persistent shortage of geriatricians, elder health care advocates increasingly see the future of geriatrics in more of a research and advisory capacity than in direct clinical care.
    Pamela Paul, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Another reason could be that walking is a reflection of what’s going on in the brain, Joe Verghese, MD, MS, FRCPI, a professor of neurology, medicine and geriatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, told Verywell.
    Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Verywell Health, 6 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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