as in creator
a person who establishes a whole new field of endeavor
Maria Montessori was the founder of an educational system dedicated to maximizing a child's creative potential
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to collapse
to be unsuccessful
the theater company foundered after its corporate funding dried up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to go
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure
the twin towers started to sway and suddenly foundered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of founder
Steve Large, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Analysts said the decision could serve as a signal to founders about relocating sensitive technology overseas.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
Courts have interpreted Section 230 immunity broadly, and many earlier attempts to hold platforms accountable for child harm have foundered on it.
—Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for founder
Noun
Topping the list are Google co-founder Sergei Brin, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Broadcom co-founder Henry Samueli and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel.
—Steve Large, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Analysts said the decision could serve as a signal to founders about relocating sensitive technology overseas.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
The site contains remains from multiple vessels, suggesting a history of merchant ships that likely foundered in the same treacherous area while approaching the shore.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
Courts have interpreted Section 230 immunity broadly, and many earlier attempts to hold platforms accountable for child harm have foundered on it.
—Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for founder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for founder
Noun
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For a longstanding comedy series like ABC‘s Abbott Elementary, creator Quinta Brunson faces the challenge every season of expanding characters’ backstories and keeping things interesting for those who have watched since Season 1.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
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RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Willam, Trinity the Tuck, Morgan McMichaels, Gottmik and Symone were also in the mix, as was TikTok creator Harry Daniels, who was reportedly waiting at the door to serenade her on arrival.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At Yale University, a committee of professors wanted to know why public trust in higher education had collapsed.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But after that decent start, their form collapsed.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead, the 2026 draft saw a running back go third, a middle linebacker go seventh, and nine offensive linemen gone by the end of the first round.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a lot that goes (on) behind the scene as a manager.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That study’s authors suggested that, despite having larger total cranial capacity (more room in their skulls), Neanderthals, on average, had smaller cerebellums than Homo sapiens.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
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Cowritten with veteran author Lin Oliver, Hawn's book follows three outlier elementary school students who strike up a friendship and decide to find a home for a rambunctious shelter dog.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Under Cook, the company has become less surprising but massively financially successful; some of Apple’s newer products have flopped or underperformed, but far more have become and stayed excellent thanks to years of competent iteration.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Large blooms can cause shoots to flop.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To close out a busy Day 2, the Steelers selected a mauling guard with a mullet, who will come to a city where that haircut never went out of style.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As of last week, nearly 2,900 second installment bills that were supposed to go out last November were still unsent — including the bungalow Brooks has owned since 1982.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As the Ado Annie-like Betsy, a horny teen-ager whose father owns a shotgun, Kurtz is playing a character who should be, and kind of is, a one-joke punch line.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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Wilson’s father, Bruce, and Sweeney’s mother, Kelly, are Gayle Wilson’s stepchildren, according to TMZ.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If Campbell fails, then speculation can fairly begin.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Just to recap, Dach had the puck in overtime in the neutral zone but failed to gain the red line before flipping the puck down the ice to get a change, being forced to stay on the ice when that puck crossed the Lightning goal line for an icing.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Founder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/founder. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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