altricial

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of altricial Plenty of other creatures give birth even sooner, yielding offspring in a more altricial state. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2022 Robins, bluebirds, hummingbirds and many other birds are altricial. Jim Robbins, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2022 If birds are born altricial — helpless — clutches tend to be small to accommodate the higher level of care the babies must receive. Jim Williams, Star Tribune, 29 June 2021 That’s because both marmosets and humans have altricial babies, from the Latin for needing nourishment—meaning offspring that can’t take care of themselves even a tiny bit at the beginning. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 27 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altricial
Adjective
  • For example, if Country A must import jet engines or microchips from Country B, Country A might try to hack Country B’s companies to copy that technology and become self-sufficient.
    William Akoto, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
  • Bezos encourages his kids to be self-sufficient Bezos has encouraged his kids to build things with their hands.
    Caroline Blair, People.com, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • Some states have worked toward laws that mandate human operators in autonomous vehicles; others have fought against the proliferation of deepfakes flooding the internet; some have taken on data privacy and more.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 1 July 2025
  • Tesla’s autonomous ride hailing service went live just over a week ago with nearly a dozen robotaxis shuttling passengers in downtown Austin.
    Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Annika Freyer has been named president of Fondation Chanel, while Elizabeth Broderick will become an independent chair of the board.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
  • When Quaker acquired the quirky beverage brand for $1.7 billion, Snapple had built its success on unconventional marketing and distribution through small, independent distributors that matched its authentic, anti-establishment brand identity.
    Jennifer J. Fondrevay, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to its momentum and self-sustaining nature, drive has another advantage over motivation: It can be developed and strengthened over time.
    Ryan McGrath, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
  • Significantly, some states had self-sustaining populations of wild turkeys that could serve as seed stock.
    Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2023
Adjective
  • During his time on the world’s biggest island the French leader will tour a glacier, a hydroelectric power station and a Danish warship moored near the semiautonomous territory’s capital, Nuuk, per the Élysée.
    Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 15 June 2025
  • Greenland’s officials have said the Arctic island, a semiautonomous Danish territory, is not for sale.
    Filip Timotija, The Hill, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Ask Amy: My unsociable neighbor doesn't know about me and his wife.
    Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 2 June 2024
  • To drink too much would be inexcusable; to drink too little would be unsociable.
    Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Altricial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altricial. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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