baby 1 of 3

1
2
3
4
as in complainer
a person who makes frequent complaints usually about little things don't be such a baby—the shot didn't hurt that much

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

baby

2 of 3

verb

baby

3 of 3

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb baby contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of baby are humor, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, and spoil. While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

When might humor be a better fit than baby?

The synonyms humor and baby are sometimes interchangeable, but humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

When can indulge be used instead of baby?

The words indulge and baby can be used in similar contexts, but indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

Where would mollycoddle be a reasonable alternative to baby?

The words mollycoddle and baby are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare.

refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

In what contexts can pamper take the place of baby?

In some situations, the words pamper and baby are roughly equivalent. However, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

When would spoil be a good substitute for baby?

The meanings of spoil and baby largely overlap; however, spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering.

foolish parents spoil their children

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 baby
Verb
While talking to Us Weekly about the new baby, Warthan teased what’s next for the couple. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025 But the project is also right at home for Laika, as it’s set in a secret forest just outside of Laika’s home in Portland and follows a girl whose baby brother is taken into the forest, only to discover an exotic world of talking animals and bandits. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 25 June 2025
Adjective
The sensitive child of the bunch doesn’t need to be babied. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 28 Nov. 2023 Plus, judging by Dustin May, Walker Buehler and many others, babying a pitcher doesn’t seem too effective. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2023 See All Example Sentences for baby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baby
Noun
  • Leaving could also result in a divorce or a custody battle over children that could take many years to untangle.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 1 July 2025
  • Sparklers are the leading cause of firework injuries, and a significant portion of these occur in children.
    Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • In total, 22 children and one elderly person have been treated and 10 of the patients were still hospitalized as of Wednesday, according to officials in the Hauts-de-France region.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2025
  • Winners can pick up their claim forms in person at more than 23,000 California Lottery retail partners, but are also allowed to fill out a form online.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • During its nearly 25 years in operation, the rocket has experienced only a single launch failure, giving the vehicle a 98% success rate.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 28 June 2025
  • The Pac-12 wasn’t a very good basketball league in the final years of its previous existence, realignment didn’t spark newfound success and, for that reason, the sport is worse off along the West Coast.
    Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Verstappen was nursing his tires — but remained on the racing line — as Russell was approaching fast behind.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 14 June 2025
  • In addition to eating solid food, the pups were likely still nursing milk from their mother, according to the researchers.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
Adjective
  • Zooming in on the image, however, I was struck less by what Allen was up to—innocently snapping photos on the festival grounds—than what loomed behind her: an array of Native American-style tipis, forming a mini village just a stone’s throw away from the main stages.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 30 June 2025
  • New in select theaters on streaming on premium video on demand, Off the Grid stars Duhamel as Guy, a brilliant scientist hiding out in the wild from a megalomaniac employer who wants to weaponize his mini cold fusion reactor for nefarious purposes.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • In passenger cars, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers.
    Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • An infant being awake at this time is something most parents would probably dread seeing.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Six men were inside a 2018 GMC Sierra pickup truck at the time of the shooting.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2025
  • The practice of superimposing disparate information has outlasted scientific acceptance of zodiac men.
    Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • More precisely, the guest list was a delicate trigonometric reflection of the couple’s affections with a very strong quotient of the regard in which the business accomplishments of the groom are held.
    Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The accomplishment follows a recent winning streak for the 28-year-old company, which has spent the last decade expanding outside its home bases in Louisiana and Texas.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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