stepmother

noun

step·​moth·​er ˈstep-ˌmə-t͟hər How to pronounce stepmother (audio)
: the wife of one's parent when distinct from one's natural or legal mother

Examples of stepmother in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Ella Beaty will play Lizzie, while Rebecca Hall will play Lizzie’s stepmother, Abby, and Vicky Krieps will play Bridget Sullvan, a maid in the Borden household. Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025 Season 4 is currently being developed with Ella Beatty taking on the lead role of Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted of the 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, MA. Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025 Upon her wedding, Princess Beatrice also became the first member of the royal family in her generation to take on the role of a stepparent, becoming a stepmother to Edo's now-9-year-old son, Christopher Woolf, whom the family calls Wolfie. Meredith Kile, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025 Within two months, my stepmother sold the house to a developer, who tore it down. Jeanie Riess, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stepmother

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stepmother was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stepmother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepmother. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

stepmother

noun
step·​moth·​er -ˌmət͟h-ər How to pronounce stepmother (audio)
: the wife of one's father when distinct from one's natural or legal mother

More from Merriam-Webster on stepmother

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!