as in exclusive
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1
as in aristocracy
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class
the winners of this science award represent the elite of our high schools
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nobility
the highest class in a society
the country's elite owned or controlled most of the wealth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elite
Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Markayle Gray, a Black teacher formerly employed by Charlotte Secondary School, says he was fired because of backlash over his teaching of a novel about a Black student who attends an elite prep school and becomes the victim of racial profiling.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Lomu is seen as an elite pass protector with superb mobility and technique.
—Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elite
Adjective
Reese, who can play on the edge, but is more known for his elite play against the run, was linked to the New York Jets throughout the offseason.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Markayle Gray, a Black teacher formerly employed by Charlotte Secondary School, says he was fired because of backlash over his teaching of a novel about a Black student who attends an elite prep school and becomes the victim of racial profiling.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
Only the elite will get a chance to shake their hand and possibly even actually speak to them.
—Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Lomu is seen as an elite pass protector with superb mobility and technique.
—Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elite
Adjective
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
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On April 13, a Utah State Court ordered the child to be returned to LB and granted LB exclusive custody.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Breyer is married to Joanna Freda Hare, a psychologist and member of the British aristocracy.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The lower classes and the clergy had always hated the Castilians, and the Portuguese aristocracy and the commercial classes—previously content with the patronage and the economic opportunities that the union with Spain had provided—had become dissatisfied during the preceding 20 years.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In particular, popes wanted to select the church’s bishops rather than allowing nobility or a king to do so.—
Joëlle Rollo-Koster,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
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Lagerbielke — or more accurately, the 11th Baron Lagerbielke — is a member of the Swedish nobility and lies 254th in line to the country’s throne.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fifty years in one organization is really special.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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His elite pass protection and calm feet mean he can be trusted immediately to keep the quarterback clean on passing downs, while also providing a high-effort presence on special teams.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Cuevas produced solid numbers last season with the Tide — 37 receptions, 411 yards, four TDs — and had career bests in 2022 at Cal Poly (58 catches, 678 yards, six TDs).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
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In 1971, the Osmonds tallied nine gold records, surpassing single-year bests by Elvis and the Beatles.—
Maria Sherman,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The nobles and gentry—the billionaires of Tudor England—made fortunes from the reclaimed monastery lands and created a myth of Henry’s military strength and English pride.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Oct. 2025
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Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Without better reporting, lawmakers and analysts will have to act with incomplete knowledge, essentially guessing effective tax rates based on limited and sometimes misleading reporting.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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By better understanding how the AAC organizes vocal output in budgerigars, researchers hope to gain new insights into human speech disorders, such as aphasia and Parkinson’s disease, which can impair a person’s ability to produce language.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Though the Red Sox got a run back in the top of the second on a solo homer by Wilyer Abreu, the Orioles immediately responded with a Rutschman fielder’s choice in the second, and then extended the lead on a solo shot by Samuel Basallo in the third.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
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The Marlins raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to Xavier Edwards’ RBI double and Liam Hicks’ two-run homer, an impressive drive that cut through a cold San Francisco night.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elite. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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