earl

noun

Definition of earlnext
as in duke

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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 earl On Tuesday night, members of the upper chamber dropped objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited seats in Parliament along with their aristocratic titles. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026 Romance between restless second son Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), the illegitimate daughter of an earl who comes to work as a maid for the Bridgerton family, bucked Regency-era societal conventions. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026 As Sophie Baek, the illegitimate daughter of an earl who comes to work for the Bridgerton family, Ha’s wardrobe is often limited to a maid uniform. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026 Behind the mask is Sophie, the daughter of an earl who has been forced to become a servant by her cruel stepmother. — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earl
  1. duke
  2. viscount
  3. marquess
  4. baron
  5. baronet
  6. prince
  7. margrave
  8. esquire
Noun
  • Eventually its popularity fell, and in 1872 the duke sold the rights to Georg Schneider, who continues to make his Schneider Weisse beers to this day.
    — Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Medici duke died of malaria, not arsenic In 1587, Grand Duke Francesco de Medici and his wife, Bianca Cappello, died during a visit to the family villa in Poggio after a brief severe illness.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of duke
Noun
  • Under the law, the remaining earls, viscounts and dukes who inherited their seats in the chamber along with their aristocratic titles will leave Parliament for good when the current session concludes this spring.
    — Peter Weber, TheWeek, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Members of the upper chamber dropped their objections to legislation passed by the House of Commons ousting dozens of dukes, earls and viscounts who inherited their seats in the House of Lords, The Associated Press reported.
    — Jared Gans, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of viscount
Noun
  • The marquess, however, decided not to buy the painting, which belongs to a private collection and, before now, has only ever been on public display once.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Mar. 2026
  • The agreement with the marquess allows Kays to take up to 25,000 tons of granite off the island by 2050.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of marquess
Noun
  • Like the barons of New York a century ago, Ackman seems to be trying to shift the landscape to create another corridor, one fitted to his own interests.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The switch is because the Cox family — descendants of an Ohio press baron who bought his first newspaper in 1898, began acquiring cable systems in 1962 — will become the firm’s largest shareholder group, with about 23% of the stock.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of baron
Noun
  • Connie is married to a baronet, Clifford, who has been made impotent by a war wound, and Mellors is the gamekeeper on Clifford’s estate, Wragby.
    — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • The baronet wanders around his castle numb on heroin, reeling from his spectacular flameout as CEO of Lumi and the recent loss of his seat in Parliament.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of baronet
Noun
  • In 2025, the relationship between the two collapsed irrevocably, leading to the mass resignation of the board of trustees and the prince himself.
    — Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The ruling prince has the power to veto referendum results, appoint judges and fire the government.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of prince
Noun
  • Two funerals will be held for the late margrave — one open to the public, and another private service.
    — Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 30 Dec. 2022
  • Karl Max Heinrich Sixtus Xavier Felix Renatus Ludwig Gaetan Pius Ignatius, and his titles included king of Hungary and Bohemia, margrave of Moravia, and grand prince of Transylvania.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2022
Definition of margrave
Noun
  • These men were called squires for most of the Middle Ages, but esquire began to appear in the 15th century.
    — Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 June 2022
Definition of esquire

Browse Nearby Words

earfuls
earl
earlier
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Cite this Entry

“Earl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earl. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earl

Nglish: Translation of earl for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about earl

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