stepchild
noun
step·child
ˈstep-ˌchī(-ə)ld 
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
F. R. SmithExamples of stepchild in a Sentence
The school has long been the forgotten stepchild of the state university system.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauder is survived by his wife; his sons William and Gary; five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, many stepchildren and step grandchildren, as well as his brother.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2025
On their own or on the rocks, this trio of surprising amari—perhaps more like the zany stepchild of amaro and vermouth—is on track to be foundational to my warm-weather drinking routine.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 June 2025
More than 40% of couples where one person is 50 or older have at least one stepchild.
—Naomi Cahn, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Besides his biological son, Abrego Garcia also is raising two stepchildren as his own.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stepchild
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Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2025
On their own or on the rocks, this trio of surprising amari—perhaps more like the zany stepchild of amaro and vermouth—is on track to be foundational to my warm-weather drinking routine.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 June 2025
More than 40% of couples where one person is 50 or older have at least one stepchild.
—Naomi Cahn, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Besides his biological son, Abrego Garcia also is raising two stepchildren as his own.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stepchild
Cite this Entry
“Stepchild.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepchild. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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stepchild
noun
step·child
ˈstep-ˌchīld
: a child of one's wife or husband by a former partner
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