1
as in birthplace
a place of origin
Philadelphia is known as "the cradle of liberty" because it was there that the Declaration of Independence was signed
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2
as in source
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
the 1848 meeting at Seneca Falls, New York, is often regarded as the cradle of the women's suffrage movement
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1
2
as in to mother
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cradle
Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 28 May 2025
Bonus: There are cradles for your dumbbells, along with a tablet holder.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 28 May 2025
Blue Carreon, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
His wife was sitting in the public gallery a few feet away, cradling their tiny newborn son, Deen.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cradle
Noun
Spanning 17 autonomous regions and two small enclaves in North Africa, the country is a cradle of diverse cultures, geography, traditions, even languages.
—Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 28 May 2025
Bonus: There are cradles for your dumbbells, along with a tablet holder.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 28 May 2025
Verb
Our Signature Watch Sentinels—ingeniously engineered with a rack-and-pinion mechanism and enveloped in fine leather—crafted to cradle each timepiece with exacting precision, adjusting seamlessly to the unique fit of the collector’s wrist.
—Blue Carreon, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
His wife was sitting in the public gallery a few feet away, cradling their tiny newborn son, Deen.
—Adrian Florido, NPR, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cradle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cradle
Noun
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June 22 marks the 350th anniversary of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the home of the historic Prime Meridian that is considered by many to be the birthplace of modern astronomy.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 June 2025
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Such echo chambers are the birthplace of the comparison trap, which can establish unrealistic expectations and stifle the ambition of an individual and an entire industry.—
Drew Gerber,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Lam aims to meet Trump to help finalize an agreement, the sources said, asking not to be identified as the trip isn't finalized yet.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 June 2025
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Pollinator pots are small containers designed to provide an easy source of nourishment for pollinators.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2025
Verb
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The two enclosures connect to one another with standard speaker wire and basic clamping terminals.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 June 2025
-
Animal Farm, published in 1945 as the Soviet Union was clamping its pincers on Eastern Europe, and 1948 – published at a time when Stalin had drawn the Iron Curtain between East and West – illustrate the moral depravity of the powerful who exert dominance over the powerless.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Lupita Nyong'o stars as Roz, a service robot who washes up on a small island with no human inhabitants and must figure out how to adapt her programming to the wilderness while mothering a baby goose.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
23 May 2025
-
One of her reasons for leaving was to focus on mothering her two daughters.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Claire and Owen are raising Maisie, keeping her as under-the-radar as possible, lest she be found and experimented on by scientists enthralled by her unique origin.—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
27 June 2025
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Enthralling and sleekly devious, this book is also a lyrical reflection on both the origin and the fate of our species.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
Verb
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For me thrillers, especially when tinged with horror, are a support structure, to construct stories which are gripping, and which gives you the chance to talk about personal and emotional conflicts which really drive the story, and not just those of the three protagonists.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 June 2025
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An army of cops responded to a massive teen fight in Coney Island on Monday evening, arresting 17 brawlers as a sweltering heat wave gripped the city, officials said.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
Noun
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One of those homers landed in the outfield fountains at The K. In his career, Ohtani is hitting .359 with 11 homers, 29 RBIs and a 1.270 OPS in 27 games against the Royals.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2025
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In those days, the water that gushed from the fountain at the sprawling cemetery south of Tehran was dyed red to honor the blood of Iran’s martyrs.—
Scott Peterson,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Perhaps nastiest of all, though, are the human bacteria likely clinging to your seemingly new clothes.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
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Yet the team, buoyed by an uncanny ability to win at home and produce power whenever needed, is clinging to the top of the National League East standings like grim death.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cradle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cradle. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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