wean

verb

ˈwēn 

weaned; weaning; weans

transitive verb

1

: to accustom (a young child or animal) to take food otherwise than by nursing

2

: to detach from a source of dependence

being weaned off the medication

wean the bears from human food

—Sports Illus.

also : to free from a usually unwholesome habit or interest

wean him off his excessive drinking

settling his soldiers on the land …  , weaning them from habits of violence

—Geoffrey Carnall

3

: to accustom to something from an early age

—used in the passive especially with on

students weaned on the Internet for research

I was weaned on greasepaint

—Helen Hayes

the principles upon which he had been weaned

—J. A. Michener

Examples of wean in a Sentence

The calves are weaned at an early age.

Recent Examples on the Web

The primary goal of the EU’s plan, however, is to accelerate the bloc’s shift towards renewable power, and wean itself off foreign imports entirely. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026

Europe sought to wean itself off Russian energy after the Ukraine conflict, but its dependence on hydrocarbons was underlined by the war in the Middle East. —ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026

At the same time, the conflict is also likely to bolster demand for China’s world-leading green energy manufacturers as countries push to wean themselves off fossil fuel dependency, potentially alleviating a downward price spiral that recently pushed Beijing to curb solar overcapacity. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026

After they’re weaned, the parents bring food back to the den, which is when people often notice them because the pups are outside playing, says Pierce. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wenen, from Old English wenian to accustom, wean; akin to Old English wunian to be used to — more at wont

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wean

• wean from/off
• wean on

Rhymes for wean

• bean
• bein
• bien
• bouin
• chine
• clean
• deen
• diene
• gene
• glean
• jean
• keen

Kids Definition

wean

verb

ˈwēn 

1

: to get a child or young animal used to food other than its mother's milk

2

: to turn (one) away from something long desired or followed

wean a person from a bad habit

Medical Definition

wean

transitive verb

ˈwēn 

1

: to accustom (as an infant or young child) to take food otherwise than by nursing

2

: to detach usually gradually from a cause of dependence or form of treatment