father figure

[ fah-ther fig-yer ]

noun

1. an emotional substitute for one's father, especially one who fulfills parental functions such as protection, authority, support, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of father figure¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Because I don’t have a dad, he was also the closest thing I had to a father figure in my life.

From Time

That pledge broadened when he realized he wasn’t the only kid without a dad around, so he doubled-down and decided he’d also help anyone else who needed a father figure.

From Washington Post

She belongs to the same political faction as Mori and has described him as a father figure in the past.

From Washington Post

On the big screen, a head coach is typically part father figure, part disciplinarian extracting the utmost from his team.

From FiveThirtyEight

And he was a mentor, close friend, and father figure to Rev. Al Sharpton.

From The Daily Beast

Mad Men is very big on surrogate parents on the show, and Roger always viewed Bert as a surrogate father figure.

From The Daily Beast

On Friday Night Lights, Coach Taylor is as much a father figure to the boys on the Dillon Panthers as he is their play caller.

From The Daily Beast

"He was regarded by Cressida as a father figure," a friend of Miss Bonas told the Daily Beast.

From The Daily Beast

So it was like meeting some sort of father figure, whose approval you always wanted.

From The Daily Beast