senator

1 of 2

noun (1)

sen·​a·​tor ˈse-nə-tər How to pronounce senator (audio)
Synonyms of senatornext
: a member of a senate
senatorship
ˈse-nə-tər-ˌship How to pronounce senator (audio)
noun

senatorship

2 of 2

noun (2)

sen·​a·​tor·​ship
: the office or position of senator

Examples of senator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Norman carried his district and the upstate, where the Grahams were raised and where conservative voters had been most critical of the late senator. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Lindsey Graham, a four-term senator who had been seeking reelection, died suddenly last month, prompting a sprint to replace him in the Senate and on the ballot. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026 The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved the America the Beautiful Act, cosponsored by 70 bipartisan senators, to renew the LRF. — Lulu Vilas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 Democratic senators and humanitarian groups questioned whether the cuts to the civilian protection personnel also contributed to the school tragedy. — Megan Rose, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for senator

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English senatour, from Anglo-French senatur, from Latin senator, from senatus

Noun (2)

senator + -ship

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of senator was in the 13th century

Rhymes for senator

See All Rhymes for senator

Browse Nearby Words

senate
senator
senatorial
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Senator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/senator. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

senator

noun
sen·​a·​tor ˈsen-ət-ər How to pronounce senator (audio)
: a member of a senate
senatorship
-ˌship How to pronounce senator (audio)
noun

Legal Definition

senator

noun
sen·​a·​tor ˈse-nə-tər How to pronounce senator (audio)
: a member of a senate
senatorial
ˌse-nə-ˈtōr-ē-əl How to pronounce senator (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on senator

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for senator

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about senator

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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