pregnant

adjective preg·nant \ ˈpreg-nənt \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Examples: pregnant in a Sentence

Definition of pregnant

1 archaic : cogent

2 : abounding in fancy, wit, or resourcefulness : inventive

all this has been said … by great and pregnant artists
—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

3 : rich in significance or implication

the pregnant phrases of the Bible
—Edmund Wilson

a pregnant pause

4 : containing a developing embryo, fetus, or unborn offspring within the body : gravid

5 : having possibilities of development or consequence : involving important issues : momentous

draw inspiration from the heroic achievements of that pregnant age
—Kemp Malone

6 obsolete : inclined, disposed

your own most pregnant and vouchsafed ear
—William Shakespeare

7 : full, teeming

—

pregnantly

adverb

See pregnant defined for English-language learners

See pregnant defined for kids

Examples of pregnant in a Sentence

She got pregnant soon after her marriage.
There was a pregnant pause before the winner was announced.

Recent Examples of pregnant from the Web

Pearl was pregnant at the time, much to everyone’s surprise.

— joy lanzendorfer, Longreads, "Ghost Writer: The Story of Patience Worth, the Posthumous Author," 14 June 2018
But the regimen can’t be given if pregnant women don’t know whether they are infected.

— jon cohen, Science | AAAS, "Nigeria has more HIV-infected babies than anywhere in the world. It’s a distinction no country wants," 12 June 2018
But in her senior year of high school, Rudolph got pregnant by her boyfriend and future husband, Robert Eldridge.

— kate siber, Outside Online, "How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman," 8 June 2018
There are certain groups who shouldn’t try fasting, intermittent or otherwise, including women who are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding or anyone with a history of eating disorders.

— jennifer franklin, Bon Appetit, "What's Up With Intermittent Fasting, and Should We Be Doing It?," 2 June 2018
The company singled out R. Kelly, the R&B singer who has been dogged by accusations of statutory rape, as well as XXXTentacion, a rapper charged with battering a pregnant woman.

— Fortune, "Facing a Rebellion, Spotify Is Said to Rethink Policy on Artist Misconduct," 26 May 2018
That means restoring the rapper XXXTentacion’s music to its playlists, despite that he was charged with battering a pregnant woman.

— bijan stephen, The Verge, "Spotify to walk back its policy on hateful content," 25 May 2018
Ayesha was pregnant throughout the Warriors 2015 championship run, giving birth to Ryan on July 10 of that year.

— ann killion, San Francisco Chronicle, "Ayesha Curry in the stands for Game 2; will there be another championship baby?," 16 May 2018
Lewis is the fourth player to announce she is pregnant this year, joining Gerina Piller, Brooke Pancake and Suzann Pettersen.

— dennis manoloff, cleveland.com, "PGA Tour 2018: Tee times, TV for The Players Championship," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pregnant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pregnant

Middle English, from Latin praegnant-, praegnans carrying a fetus, alteration of praegnas, from prae- pre- + -gnas (akin to gignere to give birth to) — more at kin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

pregnant Synonyms

Phrases

with child, with young;

PREGNANT Defined for English Language Learners

pregnant

adjective

Definition of pregnant for English Language Learners

of a woman or female animal : having a baby or babies developing inside the body
: filled with meaning or emotion because of what is going to happen or be said