variants
also forbear
as in ancestor
a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent
his forebears came to America on the Mayflower
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forebear
The Magic Books: A History of Enchantment in 20 Medieval Manuscripts
By Anne Lawrence-Mathers
Yale University Press: 368 pages, $38
(March 11)
Our medieval forebears saw nothing inconsistent between devout Christian faith and deep belief in magic.
—
Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
Were our forebears any less creative, any less smart?
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 20 Feb. 2025
The problem is that many younger Jews are learning from these works on the internet, not from the yellowing tomes of their forebears.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 28 Jan. 2025
From horses to housewares Santos remembers riding horses up to his family home; for generations, this was a ranch belonging to his forebears.
—David Culver, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
Were our forebears any less creative, any less smart?
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 20 Feb. 2025
The problem is that many younger Jews are learning from these works on the internet, not from the yellowing tomes of their forebears.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 28 Jan. 2025
From horses to housewares Santos remembers riding horses up to his family home; for generations, this was a ranch belonging to his forebears.
—David Culver, CNN, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forebear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebear
Noun
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During the Pleistocene, our ancestors lived through several different ice ages.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
9 Apr. 2025
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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
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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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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Steve Polidori joined his grandfather at the family’s meat-processing facility while studying at Colorado State University in the early ’90s and stayed on after graduation.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forebear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebear. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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