variants
also forbear
as in ancestor
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 forebear
Yet, in a land whose ancient Greek forebears coined the notion of hubris as a potent ingredient of tragedy, both developments contributed to a crippling debt crisis that raised questions about Greek membership in the European Union and ballooned into a broader crisis across the eurozone.
—
Alan Cowell, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
An exciting crop of younger players are impatient to usurp their forebears, the American men are looking to take the next step and if the ATP Next Gen Finals is anything to go by, an 18-year-old from Rio de Janeiro called Joao Fonseca is going to be a problem very soon.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Foreign and domestic businesses and crypto capitalists will rewire the infrastructure of the world economy to make more money, just as their forebears did in the early days of the U.S. empire, when the state was underdeveloped.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
Or perhaps Nadella is just craftier than his forebears.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for forebear 
Alan Cowell, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
An exciting crop of younger players are impatient to usurp their forebears, the American men are looking to take the next step and if the ATP Next Gen Finals is anything to go by, an 18-year-old from Rio de Janeiro called Joao Fonseca is going to be a problem very soon.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Foreign and domestic businesses and crypto capitalists will rewire the infrastructure of the world economy to make more money, just as their forebears did in the early days of the U.S. empire, when the state was underdeveloped.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
Or perhaps Nadella is just craftier than his forebears.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for forebear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forebear
Noun
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However, many oral histories passed down in indigenous groups in Canada and the U.S. have contradicted this idea, suggesting that smaller groups made the journey over different periods of time and their ancestors told the tales of a great crossing, VOA News reports.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2025
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The driving force for the tour guides is the idea that Black Americans and Muslims must unapologetically tell their own story, an experience that so many of their ancestors were robbed of due to slavery.—
Ahmed Ali Akbar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The boy’s father, Nicolas Barcet, is accused of chasing his son around their home in St. Petersburg, then binding the boy from his shoulders to his feet and leaving him alone in his room, according an arrest affidavit obtained by the Daily News.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
14 Feb. 2025
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Jojo Gonzalez is endearing and funny as Kisa’s grieving father, Isamu (as well as Isamu’s no-nonsense brother).—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The local carry-out spot, now run by third-generation owner Jermaine Blackmon, was originally opened in 1952 by his grandfather.—
Chyna Blackmon,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Feb. 2025
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Trump, whose grandfather is President Donald Trump, played during the weekend tournament, while Woods opted to not participate competitively after recently losing his mother.—
Mikelle Street,
WWD,
18 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near forebear
Cite this Entry
“Forebear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forebear. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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