stepmother

noun

step·​moth·​er ˈstep-ˌmə-t͟hər 

: the wife of one's parent when distinct from one's natural or legal mother

Examples of stepmother in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His father, Narvel Blackstock, is also a talent manager and was married to country music legend Reba McEntire, Brandon's stepmother, for more than 25 years. —Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

The film leans into the throwback of it all just enough, with callbacks to the original and a cameo from Elaine Hendrix, who played the iconic and villainous would-be stepmother Meredith Blake alongside Lohan in The Parent Trap. —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 6 Aug. 2025

Burrell married Claxton in 2021 and was stepmother to his son, Javier. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 24 July 2025

In a pair of related murder cases in 2022, Hippler presided as a father and stepmother separately reached deals with prosecutors to plead guilty to the death of the man’s 9-year-old son. —Idaho Statesman, 22 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stepmother

• another
• godmother
• grandmother
• stepbrother
• brother
• mother
• nother
• other
• smother
• souther

Kids Definition

stepmother

noun

step·​moth·​er -ˌmət͟h-ər 

: the wife of one's father when distinct from one's natural or legal mother