DEAN Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

dean

noun

ˈdēn

Definition of dean

as in elder

the senior member of a group the dean of the Aspen ski instructors oversaw the training of the rescue team

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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 dean According to his online profiles for the university and LinkedIn, Kohut is a dean of research for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Kohut is the dean of research at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026 Community is one of the most valuable parts of a workout class like this, said Martin, who is dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. — Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 With a master’s in public administration from FIU, Avila is a college dean who earned $62,000 last year at a small online school, Doral College, a job that aligns him closely with the growing charter school movement. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dean

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dean

Noun

Borges may not be able to see the scenery, but delights in every scrap of local color, to a degree that the American — tasked with describing everything to his elder, in suitably lyrical terms — finds quite wearisome.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
One bathroom had no toilet seat and there was no lighting in a stairwell used by elders unsure of their footing.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of elder

Noun

Of the bunch, Kaminsky is the only Broadway veteran, with Álvarez, Knight and Cochran — as well as understudies Caron Buinis, Caroline Hendricks and Michael Holding — all making their Broadway debuts with Paranormal Activity.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
The Nuggets need to get younger, longer and meaner around that veteran trio, and ASAP.

— Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of veteran

Noun

One of the doyens of Portuguese coaching, who has managed each of the big three in their home country and led Al Hilal to the title in 2023-24 after a 34-game unbeaten streak, was personally convinced by Ronaldo to cross the divide.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Back home in Budapest, fellow academics and foreign diplomats marvel at the doyen of Hungarian foreign policy who doesn’t speak Hungarian.

— Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 6 Apr. 2026

Definition of doyen

Noun

Yesterday’s punk, grunge, and rebel-outsider upstarts have an uncanny way of evolving into today’s elder statesmen of respectable infamy.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
The squad’s elder statesmen set standards on the pitch and in the dressing room to help their more junior colleagues along their journey.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of elder statesman

Noun

Kick the can If Congress fails to act, payments are expected to be 22% lower, which could be devastating for the millions of seniors who rely on their Social Security benefits to pay for basic necessities.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
At the Downey facility, there are peer groups, therapies, workshops and they are developing a unique pathway to housing specifically for seniors.

— Rina Nakano, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of senior

Browse Nearby Words

deal (with)

dean

deans

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“Dean.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dean. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dean

noun

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