Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Following the trail of these minuscule treasures back in time, Mr. de Waal traced the history of his forbears among the Ephrussis, a Jewish banking family that grew prosperous in the 19th century.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

But for all its forbears, this spooky-ooky 1989-set romance has a thoroughly modern sensibility, and it’s about to be the new obsession of quirky teens everywhere.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2024

According to the British Museum, the Asantehene requested a loan of items of regalia belonging to his forbears.

From BBC • May 16, 2023

Now, the global transition to fully electric vehicles is littered with startups, inspired by a new era in mobility and drawn by the lower cost of building EVs compared with their fossil-fuel-guzzling forbears.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 8, 2022

Like their forbears, they do their best to survive, even thrive—against all odds.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander