elite 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of elitenext
as in exclusive

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elite

2 of 2

noun

i-ˈlēt How to pronounce elite (audio)
1
as in aristocracy
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class the winners of this science award represent the elite of our high schools

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nobility
the highest class in a society the country's elite owned or controlled most of the wealth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 elite
Adjective
The six-university research collaboration, anchored at Stanford, studies elite athletes to improve health for everyone. — James Laforge, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 Previously, members could gain status in the lowest elite tier, Premier Silver, with a combination of 15 flight segments and 5,000 points earned in a year, or with 6,000 points. — Caleigh Keating, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, new Gallup research suggested the technology’s benefits have largely been concentrated among elites. — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 In the absence of any sustained challenge to their power, elites seem to trust their capacity to continually outmaneuver the majority of the population regardless of whether or not they are actually trusted. — Via Haymarket Books, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elite
  1. exclusive
  2. aristocracy
  3. nobility
  4. special
  5. best
  6. gentry
  7. better
  8. top
Adjective
  • The Peacock streaming platform shares its weekly exclusive games on YouTube.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The brand makes exclusive products for The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of exclusive
Noun
  • Of course, one entertainer who isn’t in that category would seem to be a natural fit for Arrowhead — the one who has married into Kansas City’s aristocracy.
    — Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The ‘Baronessa’ was Venetian aristocracy and lived in a vast rococo palace with Guardis and Canalettos in the drawing room.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of aristocracy
Noun
  • Legal recognition of the country’s nobility stopped in 1946 and for aristocrats such as Princess Giacinta Ruspoli, upkeep of the family’s ancestral homes doesn’t come cheap.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Thomas Jefferson is believed to have loved these wines and today they are enjoyed by Italian nobility and discerning wine lovers the world over.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of nobility
Adjective
  • The café uses a special roast from an NKC small-batch roaster called Northlandia, according to Stevie Rose, marketing specialist at Life Unlimited.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The production won the Tony Award for special theatrical event.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of special
Noun
  • Lamb had 189 yards receiving on career bests of 21 targets and 17 catches.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Pugh’s performance is a master class in physicality and flair, one of her career bests.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of best
Noun
  • When it was closed down in 1539, its treasures, books and relics were seized and its lands and buildings sold off, some to local nobles and gentry, some to the town authorities of Bury.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of gentry
Adjective
  • Which is why better hiring begins with three ways of protecting ourselves against both.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • By better understanding how the AAC organizes vocal output in budgerigars, researchers hope to gain new insights into human speech disorders, such as aphasia and Parkinson’s disease, which can impair a person’s ability to produce language.
    — Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of better
Noun
  • The ice scoop was in direct contact with the top of the machine.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The wide-leg pants keep things relaxed, and the ruched waist on the knit top adds shape and makes the whole look feel more polished than a standard sweatshirt set.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of top

Browse Nearby Words

elisions
elite
elites
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Cite this Entry

“Elite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elite. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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