widow

1 of 2

noun

wid·​ow ˈwi-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce widow (audio)
1
a
: a woman who has lost her spouse or partner by death and usually has not remarried
c
: a woman whose spouse or partner leaves her alone or ignores her frequently or for long periods to engage in a usually specified activity
a golf widow
a video game widow
2
: an extra hand or part of a hand of cards dealt face down and usually placed at the disposal of the highest bidder
3
: a single usually short last line (as of a paragraph) separated from its related text and appearing at the top of a printed page or column

widow

2 of 2

verb

widowed; widowing; widows

transitive verb

1
: to cause to become a widow or widower
2
obsolete : to survive as the widow of
3
: to deprive of something greatly valued or needed

Examples of widow 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.
Noun
His wife is now a widow, his two sons fatherless and his new baby is coming into a world without a dad, because of a gun. Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2025 Online dating sites provide an avenue for widows and widowers to meet eligible people of both sexes. Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
The events leave Richard's wife Conchita (Alisha Boe) widowed with a son to care for by herself. Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 23 July 2025 The public version of her backstory is one of personal loss: widowed and left financially devastated by her husband’s gambling, she’s forced to raise her grandson after the death of her daughter in a car accident. Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for widow

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English widewe, from Old English wuduwe; akin to Old High German wituwa widow, Latin vidua, Sanskrit vidhavā, Latin -videre to separate

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Widow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/widow. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

widow

1 of 2 noun
wid·​ow ˈwid-ō How to pronounce widow (audio)
: a woman whose spouse has died
widowhood
-ˌhu̇d
noun

widow

2 of 2 verb
: to cause to become a widow or widower
widowed by war

More from Merriam-Webster on widow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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