matriarch

noun

ˈmā-trē-ˌärk How to pronounce matriarch (audio)
Definition of matriarchnext
as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority even though she was 87, the matriarch of the family knew everything that was going on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 matriarch Take Kyle Richards, the patron matriarch of Beverly Hills for 15 seasons and counting. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026 The groundbreaking, at the park named for the Harris family matriarch, has been a long time coming. — Idaho Statesman, 19 Aug. 2026 After returning to Busan, and nearly a decade with Alzheimer’s disease, the family matriarch died at 92 on June 2. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 Lowry lost his wife and Columbine football matriarch Janet in November 2024, the end of a lengthy seven-year cancer battle. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for matriarch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for matriarch
  1. dowager
  2. matron
Noun
  • The show’s underpinned by the differences in character and country of Lady Cora and her formidable mother-in-law, the dowager Countess Violet Crawley, played by the equally formidable and much missed Dame Maggie Smith.
    — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 22 July 2025
  • The empress dowager’s legacy Empress Dowager Ling was largely unsuccessful in her bid for power.
    — Stephanie Balkwill, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of dowager
Noun
  • Cohran was a rarity in 1936 — a female police officer, known then as a police matron.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Since then, Hills has worked in various hospitals and wards, including spending 10 years as a ward sister and a matron, which are both senior roles for nurses.
    — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026
Definition of matron

Browse Nearby Words

matins
matriarch
matriarchal
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Cite this Entry

“Matriarch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/matriarch. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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