DOYEN Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

doyen

noun

ˈdȯi-ən

Definition of doyen

as in veteran

a person with long experience in a specified area considered the doyen of American art critics

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dean

the senior member of a group he's the doyen of American museum directors, and his opinion has considerable weight

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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 doyen Murray’s focus on tax measures in his quote may dampen expectations that the Labour government is about to improve the high-end TV tax credit, which industry doyens have been calling for for some time now. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026 Sorkin, Kernen and Quick have been anchoring the show together for the last 14 years, with Kernen serving as the doyen of the group, going to back to its 1995 debut. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025 My first tax boss was Stephen Land, a doyen of the international tax bar in New York, now retired. — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 These are simple places, sometimes shacks, but all lively and serving great food cooked by formidable doyens, grandmothers such as Lu. — Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for doyen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for doyen

Noun

The ceremony also marked the return of Japanese industry veteran Takeo Hisamatsu as festival director, following the departure of former chairman Hiroyasu Ando earlier this year.

— Gavin Blair, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
The Athens, Georgia, jam-band veterans will close out 2026 with two Charlotte performances, including a New Year’s Eve concert.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of veteran

Noun

Making small talk, for instance, can help forge both personal and professional relationships down the line, says Kristie Patten, dean of NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

— Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Now in its third year, women make up a majority of the BHC's enrollment, according to the college's dean, Boatamo Ati Mosupyoe.

— Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of dean

Noun

The Nordic communal goal is a focus on holistic well-being that can be sustained over the long term by every individual, from professional athletes in their prime to elders.

— Lola Akinmade, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Beyond absorbing his elders’ influences, LaFarge’s schoolmates were also impactful.

— Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of elder

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doxy

doyen

doyenne

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“Doyen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doyen. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of doyen

noun

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