dame

noun

ˈdām How to pronounce dame (audio)
Definition of damenext
1
as in dowager
a dignified usually elderly woman of some rank or authority as the grand dames of local society, they determined which charities received support

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in lady
a woman of high birth or social position the lords and dames of the shire eagerly awaited the royal visit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dame She was recognized for her services to the performing arts by Queen Elizabeth, who made Andrews a dame in 2000. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026 In 2014 she was made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight, for services to the arts and to charity. — Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 She was named a dame, the female equivalent of a knighthood, for services to literature, a title that Mirren herself was awarded in 2003. — ABC News, 12 June 2026 Elsewhere from the entertainment world, Helen Mirren — already a dame, one of the highest ranks — was made a Companion of Honour, of which there are only 65 at any one time. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dame
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dame
  1. dowager
  2. lady
  3. matron
  4. queen
  5. countess
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
  • And hey, if the superstar was feeling a little low, what better pick-me-up than karaoke with Chrissie Hynde or a heart-to-heart in the ladies’ with ennui expert Lena Dunham?
    — Ben Jureidini, Vanity Fair, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The ladies fly off to Vegas and immediately meet a pink stretch Hummer limo and a woman named Bri from Girls Night Out Getaways.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lady
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
Noun
  • Camilla’s eight-minute video is based on a conversation between the queen and Maggie’s Chief Executive Laura Lee, who said the number of men who visit the charity’s centers has risen 12% since the king announced his diagnosis.
    — Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Buckingham Palace had not yet taken the step of announcing the monarch's diagnosis to the world and so the queen was forced to keep quiet.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of queen
Noun
  • Beyond fancy friends and connections to famous people, what the countess has most of all is game.
    — Luisa Opalesky, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • De Lesseps turned a fall from countess to tabloid fixture into a thriving cabaret career.
    — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of countess

Phrases Containing dame

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damaging
dame
dames
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Cite this Entry

“Dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dame. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dame for Spanish Speakers

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