1
as in birthplace
a place of origin
Greece can boast to being the mother country of democracy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in home
the land of one's birth, residence, or citizenship
even after decades of living in their adopted nation, they maintained a strong attachment to the mother country
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 mother country
Since the condition of the Royal Navy was of prime importance to the British Parliament, during the colonial era that body passed several acts that sought to entice or compel colonists in British North America to produce naval stores for the benefit of the mother country.
—
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Reread Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of all the rights that King George III had denied his American subjects and forced them to break from the mother country.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025
Veins branching along my skin like the waterways of my mother country.
—Lauren Vuong, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Still, many colonists had not seriously considered separating from the mother country—until a history-making pamphlet was published in the City of Brotherly Love on January 10, 1776.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mother country
Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Reread Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of all the rights that King George III had denied his American subjects and forced them to break from the mother country.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025
Veins branching along my skin like the waterways of my mother country.
—Lauren Vuong, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Still, many colonists had not seriously considered separating from the mother country—until a history-making pamphlet was published in the City of Brotherly Love on January 10, 1776.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mother country
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mother country
Noun
-
The winery is located in the small town of Canelli (in the province of Asti), considered the birthplace of Italian sparkling wine (Asti Spumante)—although this historic winery is probably best known for its outstanding red wines, including Barbera.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
-
Florida is the birthplace of school choice.—
Don Gaetz,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Describe the type of buyer who can afford these homes.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The home has 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To stop each dog from trying to reach the toy, the owners sat at a dining table or on the floor while the dog was put behind a child safety gate, or was in a dog cradle or bed.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The wise men made a pilgrimage from the east to worship at the cradle of Christ; and the shepherds journeyed from field to town in search of Jesus, the savior of the world.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Last year, country trio Rascal Flatts came roaring back to life with their first tour since 2019.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The diplomatic fallout has been reworked into cooperation between the two countries.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mother country.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mother%20country. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
