1
as in to nurse
to give milk to from the breast
wet-nursed the woman's baby until she was well enough to do it herself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
recent college grads quickly learn that employers won't wet-nurse them the way that their teachers did
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 wet-nurse
With nowhere else to turn, Karoline takes on the role of a wet-nurse.
—
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024
In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024
In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wet-nurse
Verb
-
Safety Nick Emmanwori, who's dealing with an ankle injury, is listed as doubtful, and running back Zach Charbonnet, who's nursing a foot injury, is listed as questionable.—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Brock Bowers, nursing an injured knee but active Sunday, caught just four passes for 38 yards.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Despite holding the lead for much of the game, Federico Chiesa’s 87th-minute equaliser threatened to spoil what was a near-complete performance.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Uber Eats’ new Fresh Guarantee means that if your fresh item arrives spoiled, damaged, stale, or past its best-by date, the company will ensure a full review and refund for eligible items.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Dogs and cats often will suckle on a toy, or even another animal, as a way to re-create those memories of comfort from nursing their mothers.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The best rooms look out over the sea and the rugged peaks of Cavall Bernat—a view shared by the rooftop restaurant, where local meats star in dishes like suckling porc negre and pastry stuffed with guinea fowl in almond sauce.—
Benjamin Kemper,
Saveur,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
So the big question now is, which type of football will baby Gianna grow up to play, if at all?—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Conceivably one or two of them should have already been at Citi Field, but until finally summoning McLean to pitch Saturday, Stearns has been babying them in the minors.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Really, the album is about tiring of mothering men who are great in bed but lack crucial social skills.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
-
She was born on July 10, 2024, to mother Jona, 26 and father Tony, 25, with two other siblings Pork Stew and Sweet Pork at the zoo in Chonburi, NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, reported.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wet-nurse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wet-nurse. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share