Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

patriarchal

[pey-tree-ahr-kuhl] / ˌpeɪ triˈɑr kəl /




ADJECTIVE
paternalistic
Synonyms


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.

An agitated Jean finds herself praying to none other than Monica Lewinsky, the patron saint of bad romantic choices, or as Langbein puts it, “of those who suffer venal public shaming and patriarchal cruelty.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” casts Minneapolis as progressive and neighborly, a bustling metropolis located between stereotypical Midwestern patriarchal stubbornness and a feminist future.

From Salon • Jan. 31, 2026

"It is a way of asserting women's place in a world and a system that remains deeply patriarchal," stressed Centeno, an expert in non-verbal communication.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

This is a self-aware martyr, assertive and vulnerable, manipulated by shadowy patriarchal forces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

Next to the house there was a patriarchal elm tree, against the trunk of which Finny leaned and shouted at me as I ran a large circle around him.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles




Vocabulary lists containing patriarchal


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "patriarchal" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com