fathers 1 of 2

Definition of fathersnext
plural of father

fathers

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of father
as in sires
to become the father of Paul Revere somehow found room in his small house for the large family he had fathered

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 fathers
Noun
While there are plenty of fathers who do this job in the modern age, the load-bearing parent is still the mother of the family much more often than not. William Jones, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026 Absent parents, especially fathers, represent a significant cause of estrangement; mental illness is often a factor too. Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026 Like the Downs, the Heywards are Gwinnett County products whose fathers – Gary Downs and Craig Heyward - played running back for the Falcons. Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026 The pope is setting the terms of debate by relying on moral language and moral reasoning; on Catholic social teaching, the Church fathers, and the scriptures. Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026 The Almost Famous actress has been open about her experience co-parenting her three children with their three different fathers. Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026 According to Hatters-Friedman’s research, fathers who commit filicide are more likely to have a previous history of violence, substance abuse and mental illness. Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 Reaching Out is a story about fathers, sons, and the distance between them. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026 They were remembered as fathers, sons and providers whose absence continues to shape their families’ lives. Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathers
Noun
  • Harry maintains a close group of friends, many of them fellow dads.
    Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Both moms and dads alike appreciate the reprieve with their children.
    Megan Shinn, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Other Apollo co-founders include owners of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks, and Adam Silver’s college roommate is currently Apollo’s president.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Jonah Liss and Blake Mischley, the founders of MeetYourClass, graduated from the University of Michigan in 2025 after meeting on an incoming class Instagram page.
    Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The captains were the fathers, or at least the grandfathers, of this genre.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Her grandfathers were military.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The options are vast, ranging from Rita Ora vamping on one station and drunk gay daddies being spotlighted on another.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
  • Some people's mommies and daddies really, really struggle with money, and that is not something to ever make fun of somebody for.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Roman Wasenmüller, Spotify’s vp, global head of podcasts, told The Hollywood Reporter that the existing health and wellness content on the app, populated by video and audio of mediation, yoga and strength workouts made by outside creators, has been seeing 30 percent growth year over year.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Deadline on Monday launched the stand-alone streaming site for Contenders Television, its showcase of the series, stars and creators making waves this awards season.
    The Deadline Team, Deadline, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • All of us are here because, over millennia of acts of God and wars and disease, our ancestors trusted the hours.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Regardless of whether plans are rejigged, there will be plenty of pomp and circumstance for Charles, 77, as befitting a state visit of a British king to a country that his ancestors once ruled.
    Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And rhetoric, it could be said, begets more rhetoric.
    Robin Wright, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • It was never supposed to be a character study about how trauma begets trauma.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Hating cops also spawns ridiculous protests, like the ones that called for police to be defunded.
    Wendy Murphy, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
  • The energy of the collision spawns many new particles, including—sometimes—W bosons.
    Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fathers. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on fathers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster