stepchild

noun step·child \ ˈstep-ˌchī(-ə)ld \

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Examples: stepchild in a Sentence

Definition of stepchild

1 : a child of one's wife or husband by a former partner

2 : one that fails to receive proper care or attention

is no longer a stepchild in the family of nations
—F. R. Smith

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See stepchild defined for kids

Examples of stepchild in a Sentence

The school has long been the forgotten stepchild of the state university system.

Recent Examples of stepchild from the Web

Dear Amy: My son's ex-wife remarried and now has two stepchildren, along with her daughter (with my son).

— amy dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "Wounded woman worries about inability to love," 29 Apr. 2018
In years past its wine business seemed like a stepchild of its more lucrative art departments, but under the direction of the very British Jamie Ritchie, Sotheby’s has become a major player, leading the global market in 2016.

— jay mcinerney, Town & Country, "The Truth About Wine Auctions, Scandals, and Sales," 4 May 2018
These are tough days at the University of Massachusetts Boston, which feels more like a stepchild of the state university system every day.

— adrian walker, BostonGlobe.com, "A UMass Boston institute that studies war’s effects is fighting to survive budget cuts," 10 Apr. 2018
But Florida's prison system has long been a fiscal stepchild for legislators and the governor, drawing years of legal challenges.

— mary ellen klas, miamiherald, "A dead deputy and a felon on probation raise questions about the cost of budget cuts | Miami Herald," 12 May 2018
Dear Amy: My son’s ex-wife remarried and now has two stepchildren, along with her daughter (with my son).

— amy dickinson, Detroit Free Press, "Wounded woman worries about inability to love," 29 Apr. 2018
Over half of respondents (57 percent) were married or in a committed relationship, and over half (52 percent) had children or stepchildren.

— gordon mah ung, PCWorld, "Dell surveyed 5,763 PC gamers, and this is what they said," 27 Apr. 2018
Way #1 is, these two clubs set elegant basketball back a decade, when UC was a poor stepchild in the Big East and had to limit opponents’ possessions to keep scores low, to have a chance.

— paul daugherty, Cincinnati.com, "Daugherty: In baseball, losing is OK," 17 Jan. 2018
Jane Unger is the mother of an adult son, Ben, three stepchildren, and seven grandchildren.

— diane kline & jane unger, Redbook, "Throw a Judgment-Free Holiday Party," 30 Nov. 2012

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

First Known Use of stepchild

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

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STEPCHILD Defined for English Language Learners

stepchild

noun

Definition of stepchild for English Language Learners

: your wife's or husband's child by a past marriage or relationship : a stepson or stepdaughter
: someone or something that does not receive enough care or attention