variants
also forbears
as in ancestors
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 forebears
Two hundred fifty years ago our political forebears softened their biases and brought forth something new and remarkable.
—
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Medical science has blessed our generation with an abundance of preventive methods — including vaccines — and treatments that enable a far greater percentage of us to live longer and healthier lives than our forebears.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Banerjee, who was born in 1963, offered an effusive epilogue to the modernist exhibit, exploring dimensions, textures and scale that many of her artistic forebears could only dream of.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.
—Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Yu, who died last year, had forebears.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The 2027 coupe that paraded around Sebring—paired with forebears from C2, C4, C6, and C7 generations of the Corvette—is highlighted by the return of Admiral Blue Metallic paint to the family line.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
The Seder provides many different ways to engage with the language, often alongside older generations who acquired varying degrees of proficiency from their forebears.
—Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Steinmuller followed his forebears into the shipping industry.
—Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Medical science has blessed our generation with an abundance of preventive methods — including vaccines — and treatments that enable a far greater percentage of us to live longer and healthier lives than our forebears.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Banerjee, who was born in 1963, offered an effusive epilogue to the modernist exhibit, exploring dimensions, textures and scale that many of her artistic forebears could only dream of.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
But while their forebears deconstructed rock conventions, HYPER GAL’s primary influence is the glistening textures of pop.
—Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Yu, who died last year, had forebears.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
The 2027 coupe that paraded around Sebring—paired with forebears from C2, C4, C6, and C7 generations of the Corvette—is highlighted by the return of Admiral Blue Metallic paint to the family line.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
The Seder provides many different ways to engage with the language, often alongside older generations who acquired varying degrees of proficiency from their forebears.
—Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Steinmuller followed his forebears into the shipping industry.
—Eric Boodman, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebears
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
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
-
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,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forebears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebears. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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