ANCESTOR Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

ancestor

noun

ˈan-ˌse-stər

Definition of ancestor

as in grandfather

a person who is several generations earlier in an individual's line of descent Bridie's Irish ancestors immigrated to the United States in the 19th century during the Great Potato Famine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in forerunner

something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed pinball machines—the ancestors of today's video games—go back to the 19th century

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 ancestor These findings suggest that throughout great ape evolution, our ancestors gradually developed more control over the timing of their vocalizations, including laughter. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 June 2026 To decorate the feet in designer duds, to emphasize their strangeness, their alien qualities that tie us to our distant ape ancestors, with expensive materials and odd shapes, is to walk fashion forward with Darwinian chic. — Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 The secretary’s beef-intensive diet, which is shared by other members of the Cabinet, including Vice President Vance, is informed by the idea that people should be eating as our prehistoric ancestors did. — David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026 Wood has also been asked to complete the repatriation of all tribal ancestors and cultural items as required by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 and the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ancestor

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ancestor

Noun

In 1926, Brian's great-grandfather, Henry Knoebel, opened a pool that would mark the official start of the family’s park.

— Eve Chen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
The supplies will be taken to Miami and then Venezuela by Olarte Transport, said volunteer Andrea Casanova, 28, whose grandfather was in Venezuela when the earthquakes struck.

— Melody Xu, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of grandfather

Noun

The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 June 2026

Definition of forerunner

Noun

The news of the arrest caught the attention of the family of Amy McHale, a woman who was once married to Horsch’s father and disappeared nearly 10 years ago.

— Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Her oldest sister, Sonia Gonzalez, said Gonzalez reminds her a lot of their father, who reinvented himself many times over the years.

— Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of father

Noun

Those resolutions are considered a precursor to the Declaration of Independence.

— Salena Zito, Washington Post, 1 July 2026
Feeding peanuts to the fans evolved, but the early days, whether for the precursor to Aramark or the work of Stevens, were all about a few simple items.

— Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of precursor

Noun

Vahidi, who assumed the role after his predecessor Mohammad Pakpour was killed in US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, is rarely seen in public.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
The elaborate funeral of his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, was also orchestrated to demonstrate leadership continuity in 1989.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 5 July 2026

Definition of predecessor

Noun

Refine a portfolio piece, build a small prototype, or share a draft with someone who gives honest notes.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
Sketches were drawn, 3D masks printed and footballs blasted at a prototype sitting on a lifesize headform modelled on Kylian Mbappe’s face.

— Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of prototype

Browse Nearby Words

anatomy

ancestor

ancestors

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ancestor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ancestor. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of ancestor

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on ancestor

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes