mother-in-law
noun
moth·er-in-law
ˈmə-t͟hər-ən-ˌlȯ 
ˈmət͟h-rən-,
ˈmə-t͟hərn-
plural mothers-in-law
ˈmə-t͟hər-zən-ˌlȯ
1
: the mother of one's spouse
2
archaic
: stepmother
Examples of mother-in-law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His mother-in-law has already shown symptoms of the disease.
—
Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 23 May 2024
Meanwhile, construction of accessory dwelling units, known as ADU’s or mother-in-law cottages, has remained steady over the last three years.
—Scooty Nickerson, The Mercury News, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mother-in-law 
Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 23 May 2024
Meanwhile, construction of accessory dwelling units, known as ADU’s or mother-in-law cottages, has remained steady over the last three years.
—Scooty Nickerson, The Mercury News, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for mother-in-law
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mother-in-law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Mother-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother-in-law. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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