elder

noun

Definition of eldernext
1
as in adult
a person of advanced years in that Asian society elders are accorded great respect

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2
as in superior
one who is above another in rank, station, or office as your elder in the company, he is within his rights to tell you what to do

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3
as in ancestor
one who is older than another it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders

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4
as in dean
the senior member of a group as the elder of the contingent of living former presidents, he was accorded a place of highest honor at the ceremonies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 elder Away from Johanne’s turbulent inner life, her writing also seeds tensions between — and within — her elders, as Karin sees and appreciates its prodigious literary value, while Kristin reads only a sequence of increasingly alarming revelations about her daughter. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Feb. 2025 So the senior population grows while spending on a program to help elders doesn’t keep up. — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 12 Feb. 2025 There's a child, someone middle-aged, and an elder in the painting. — Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 25 Feb. 2025 With its local connection and timely message of turning a listening ear to elders, the film’s screening—happening Saturday, February 22—is already sold out. — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elder
  1. adult
  2. superior
  3. ancestor
  4. dean
  5. oldster
  6. boss
  7. veteran
  8. geriatric
Noun
  • Most poor Californians are part of working families, with 76 percent living in households where at least one adult is employed.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Lottie’s wellness cult is no more, although an incriminating video tape gives the adults at least some pretense of narrative tension.
    — Abby Monteil, Them, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of adult
Noun
  • Staffers charged restaurant dinners and even some family vacations to the magazine, often at their superiors’ urging.
    — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Already, several states, including Rhode Island, have enacted reforms designed to strike a balance—to make officers more responsive to community complaints without leaving them at the whims of their superiors in uniform.
    — Marc J. Dunkelman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of superior
Noun
  • The auntie’s going to always be there for her niece as an ancestor.
    — Fox Maxy, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The ephemerides were the ancestors of astronomical tables, which still exist.
    — James Byrne, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of ancestor
Noun
  • At Indiana University, Fred worked for the dean of economics to earn his way through school.
    — Steven P. Dinkin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
  • When she was named dean of the University of Tulsa’s business school in 2021, Taylor put her varied background to work launching entrepreneurship initiatives for Cherokee woman.
    — Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of dean
Noun
  • Folks back in the day had Yoda as their feisty oldster and the kids now have Maz. 36.
    — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 May 2023
  • The Duke is the true tale of an eccentric oldster who, in 1961, stole a Francisco Goya painting of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.
    — Dallas News, Dallas News, 28 Apr. 2022
Definition of oldster
Noun
  • And her new partner, Lafferty (Dash Mihok), an old buddy of her dismissive boss (Patch Darragh), would rather babble about his digestive woes than help the desperate women of Kensington.
    — Judy Berman, TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The news was revealed by Channel 5 content boss Ben Frow at a showcase in London, as Channel 5 and streamer My5 officially rebrand under one unified brand titled 5.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of boss
Noun
  • The veteran Rojas has stepped in for the Dodgers many times before.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
  • People are losing veterans’ benefits and Social Security.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of veteran
Noun
  • The state has the most health care facilities per capita and ranks in the top five for geriatrics hospitals and nursing homes.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
  • Faced with a persistent shortage of geriatricians, elder health care advocates increasingly see the future of geriatrics in more of a research and advisory capacity than in direct clinical care.
    — Pamela Paul, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025
Definition of geriatric

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Cite this Entry

“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elder. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on elder

Nglish: Translation of elder for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elder

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