menstruate
verb
men·stru·ate
ˈmen(t)-strü-ˌwāt 
ˈmen-ˌstrāt
menstruated; menstruating
: to undergo menstruation
Examples of menstruate in a Sentence
She began menstruating at the age of 12.
Recent Examples on the Web
Some religious communities bar menstruating women from common living areas, said Ahsan.
—
Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Women who begin menstruating early — especially before age 12 — and therefore have more menstrual cycles over their lifetime have a slightly higher risk for breast cancer, likely because they’re exposed to the hormones estrogen and progesterone for longer, according to the American Cancer Society.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
According to certain Hindu texts, menstruating women should be cut off from the rest of the household and avoid participating in ritual life.
—Megan Bryson, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
People who menstruate that are on a vegan or vegetarian diet are also at higher risk of iron deficiency.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menstruate
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.
Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Women who begin menstruating early — especially before age 12 — and therefore have more menstrual cycles over their lifetime have a slightly higher risk for breast cancer, likely because they’re exposed to the hormones estrogen and progesterone for longer, according to the American Cancer Society.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026
According to certain Hindu texts, menstruating women should be cut off from the rest of the household and avoid participating in ritual life.
—Megan Bryson, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
People who menstruate that are on a vegan or vegetarian diet are also at higher risk of iron deficiency.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for menstruate
Cite this Entry
“Menstruate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menstruate. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
menstruate
verb
men·stru·ate
ˈmen(t)-strə-ˌwāt
ˈmen-ˌstrāt
: to undergo menstruation
Medical Definition
menstruate
intransitive verb
men·stru·ate
ˈmen(t)-strə-ˌwāt, ˈmen-ˌstrāt
menstruated; menstruating
: to undergo menstruation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
