stepmother

noun

step·​moth·​er ˈstep-ˌmə-t͟hər How to pronounce stepmother (audio)
Synonyms of stepmothernext
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bear charges hiker Instagram user @benbabusis shared an absolutely insane video on Sunday (via his stepmother) of a hiker coming face-to-face with a massive bear that didn't seem happy to be bothered. David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 Miranda Pledger, the stepmother of Brynleigh Pledger, shared on social media that her stepdaughter died on Wednesday, April 15, four days after the incident that claimed the lives of Brynleigh's mother Ashley Hagood, 33; her twin sister Bryleigh, 7; and her brother Bryant Ballew, 13. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 The 8-year-old girl told the counselor all the wounds were inflicted by her stepmother Joncky, the report read. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026 Neither could Kendall, who had spent happy teenage years there with his father, stepmother, and brothers—and was still launching his boat from a dock on the property to work his oyster beds. Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stepmother

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stepmother was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stepmother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepmother. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

stepmother

noun
step·​moth·​er -ˌmət͟h-ər How to pronounce stepmother (audio)
: the wife of one's father when distinct from one's natural or legal mother

More from Merriam-Webster on stepmother

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster