weaned; weaning; weans
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.
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
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
Helen Hayesthe principles upon which he had been weaned—J. A. Michener
J. A. MichenerExamples of wean in a Sentence
The calves are weaned at an early age.
Recent Examples on the Web
Clean energy advocates responded vociferously that renewables could provide stability as Europe tried to wean itself off of Russian energy.
—Justin Worland, Time, 21 June 2025
If you’ve been weaned exclusively on 3-D Zelda and are looking to broaden your horizons, A Link to the Past is good medicine.
—Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Although she once was hooked up 24 hours a day to the feeding system that delivered nutrients directly into the bloodstream, doctors began weaning her off as her intestines got stronger.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
The residency is my first extended trip away from my daughter, who, at one-and-a-half, is weaning off breastmilk, but still likes to nurse at night before bed.
—Literary Hub, 12 June 2025
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Justin Worland, Time, 21 June 2025
If you’ve been weaned exclusively on 3-D Zelda and are looking to broaden your horizons, A Link to the Past is good medicine.
—Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Although she once was hooked up 24 hours a day to the feeding system that delivered nutrients directly into the bloodstream, doctors began weaning her off as her intestines got stronger.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
The residency is my first extended trip away from my daughter, who, at one-and-a-half, is weaning off breastmilk, but still likes to nurse at night before bed.
—Literary Hub, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for wean
Cite this Entry
“Wean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wean. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wean
verb1
: 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 verb1
: 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
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