maternity leave
noun
: time off from a job given a mother to take care of a newborn child
The company granted her maternity leave.
Examples of maternity leave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Injury kept Macario off the team that struck gold in the Paris Olympics, Hayes’ first tournament as coach, while forwards Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson have been on maternity leave since the Olympics.
—
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Beijing has also extended the maternity leave to 158 days, from 98 days in 2024.
—Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2026
Even the most generous maternity leave packages typically top out at three or four months—and newborns can struggle with sleep, feeding, and other milestones for far longer.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 15 Jan. 2026
Councilwoman Maureen Porras was absent on maternity leave.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maternity leave
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Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Beijing has also extended the maternity leave to 158 days, from 98 days in 2024.
—Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2026
Even the most generous maternity leave packages typically top out at three or four months—and newborns can struggle with sleep, feeding, and other milestones for far longer.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 15 Jan. 2026
Councilwoman Maureen Porras was absent on maternity leave.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for maternity leave
Cite this Entry
“Maternity leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maternity%20leave. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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