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
Though the craft has traditionally been passed down from mother to daughter across Gullah Geechee communities, Alston learned the skill from his mother-in-law 22 years ago and is now a fifth-generation sweetgrass weaver.
—
Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
My 90-year-old mother-in-law has been in cognitive decline for a while.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
Gyorgy’s mother-in-law, Vinita Burns, was there as well.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 5 June 2026
My mother-in-law stabilized, but cell reception was poor and updates were few and far between.
—Steven Rowley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mother-in-law
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Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
My 90-year-old mother-in-law has been in cognitive decline for a while.
—Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
Gyorgy’s mother-in-law, Vinita Burns, was there as well.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 5 June 2026
My mother-in-law stabilized, but cell reception was poor and updates were few and far between.
—Steven Rowley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mother-in-law
Cite this Entry
“Mother-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother-in-law. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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