father-in-law

noun

ˈfä-t͟hə-rən-ˌlȯ 

-t͟hərn-ˌlȯ

plural fathers-in-law ˈfä-t͟hər-zən-ˌlȯ 

1

: the father of one's spouse

2

archaic : stepfather

Examples of father-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The issue is that my father-in-law always has a comment to make. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

The exception is my husband’s parents, especially my father-in-law, who does not accept Avery’s identity and has criticized them about it in phone calls and texts. — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 9 July 2026

Avery will turn 25 in a few weeks, and apparently my father-in-law has a tradition of giving each grandchild $10,000 on that birthday. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

On what would have been the elder Barbara Bush’s birthday, Laura posted a throwback photo that featured her late mother- and father-in-law with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Maine. — Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for father-in-law

• avoirdupois
• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada

Kids Definition

father-in-law

noun

fa·​ther-in-law

ˈfät͟h-(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ, 

ˈfȧt͟h-, 

-ərn-ˌlȯ

plural fathers-in-law

ˈfät͟h-ər-zən-, 

ˈfȧt͟h-

: the father of one's husband or wife