as in creators
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 flops
to be unsuccessful
the theater company foundered after its corporate funding dried up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapses
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 founders
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
Bazzell said bringing games to new markets has always been part of the founders’ vision, particularly because meaningful exposure matters.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
David was the son of one of the founders of the enormously prosperous Procter & Gamble company.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Lichty said the company’s founders invented the technology that turned into Forge Nano’s product.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
This is an economy that runs on the assumption of potential—on the idea that tech founders will, through brute force, innovate their way into market domination and produce limitless riches.
—Theo Baker, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
As my late colleague Richard Poirier, one of Library of America’s founders, described, Robert Frost worked this vein as profoundly as anyone.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
Climate founders used to lead with decarbonization.
—Tenzin Seldon, Fortune, 23 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
Bazzell said bringing games to new markets has always been part of the founders’ vision, particularly because meaningful exposure matters.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026
David was the son of one of the founders of the enormously prosperous Procter & Gamble company.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Lichty said the company’s founders invented the technology that turned into Forge Nano’s product.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
This is an economy that runs on the assumption of potential—on the idea that tech founders will, through brute force, innovate their way into market domination and produce limitless riches.
—Theo Baker, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
As my late colleague Richard Poirier, one of Library of America’s founders, described, Robert Frost worked this vein as profoundly as anyone.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
Climate founders used to lead with decarbonization.
—Tenzin Seldon, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for founders
Noun
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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
Verb
-
Fortunately for shareholders, the stock grants come with a feature similar to equity options that somewhat reduces Musk’s payday, especially in a case like the one above where the plan flops.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Nov. 2025
-
Amina blows her mom a kiss and then flops down in her crib, pretending to be asleep.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As the video demonstrates, von Ensingen’s drawing (not in the show, alas) collapses all the levels, complete with stairs, setbacks, vaults, and columns, onto a single plane.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
23 Apr. 2026
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For Tottenham, what once felt unthinkable is fast becoming one of the most remarkable collapses the 34-year Premier League era has seen.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This essay is part of a series developed in collaboration with World Business Chicago wherein accomplished authors envision what Chicago could and should look like in 2050.—
Jens Ludwig,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Here is some sage advice for writers from Atlanta authors who have new books out this year.—
Suzanne Van Atten,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When folding goes wrong, the protein often fails.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
That’s led to questions about whether the California billionaire activism would continue if Mahan’s governor bid fails and the wealth tax passes.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Away goes the space normally occupied by pickup trucks and Weber grills.—
David Hudnall,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
-
From then on, the storytelling goes slack and perfunctory as sharks swarm and chomp on passengers and crew clinging for dear lives on rafts or slabs of plane wreckage.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
30 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
Verb
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The risk is Sadiq doesn’t see a full workload as a rookie, struggles for targets while competing with Mitchell and others, and Geno Smith doesn’t bounce back.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Republicans have a tiny four-vote majority in the chamber, and the president’s party historically struggles in midterm balloting.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Founders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/founders. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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