éminence grise

noun

ā-mē-näⁿs-ˈgrēz How to pronounce éminence grise (audio)
Definition of éminence grisenext
as in elder statesman
the senior member of a group the revered éminence grise of Civil War historians

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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 éminence grise But none have matched JPMorgan, which, under the leadership of Wall Street’s eminence grise Jamie Dimon, has thrived. — Paolo Confino, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2024 Belafonte was 57, an eminence grise in entertainment, and his participation motivated lots of artists who admired him. — Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Federer serving in the Sinatra/Clooney part as the eminence grise. — Jason Gay, WSJ, 24 Sep. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for éminence grise
  1. elder statesman
  2. veteran
  3. dean
  4. elder
Noun
  • Djokovic evolved into a tennis legend and is now one of the sport’s elder statesmen.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Alongside the younger performers, Jacobson includes cameos from elder statesmen like the writer Richard Price, whose 2008 novel Lush Life was an ode to the Lower East Side, and Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Dune), who spends the whole movie on a bed watching reruns of Kung Fu.
    — Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of elder statesman
Noun
  • Air Force veteran Mark Mendon of Blue Springs, Missouri, showed up to lend his support to the Satanic Grotto’s cause.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Before the game, Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said veteran pitcher Yu Darvish was progressing in playing catch, but there was no specific timetable for his return from elbow inflammation.
    — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of veteran
Noun
  • Davis has since worked as a professor, a dean and a university president.
    — Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Another dean, Sinclair, took Lyle into an office to wait for Anderson, who still couldn’t be reached, according to the complaint.
    — Jessica Seaman, The Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of dean
Noun
  • There’s a lot going on in your 40s: raising a family, paying a mortgage, shuttling kids to and from activities, caring for elders—all while working.
    — Lina Storm, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Wilmore, an elder in his Baptist church, is excited to resume face-to-face ministry and enjoy the scent of fresh-cut grass.
    — Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of elder

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éminence grise
eminences
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Cite this Entry

“éminence grise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/%C3%A9minence%20grise. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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