as in mistress
a female other than his wife with whom a married man has a continuing sexual relationship
the offspring of one of the monarch's concubines
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Recent Examples of concubine
Soft, sheer fabrics rustled against the interior walls as Anula surged through the concubine estate.
—
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Faces painted white, surrounded by concubines of every gender, Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are utterly taken with the barbarian who can recite Virgil while covered in another man’s blood, after Macrinus presents Lucius in a private showcase.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
Luckily for fans turned on by Shogun to the cunning machinations of feudal Japanese lords, swordsmen, concubines and ladies in waiting, the well of samurai storytelling that inspired Shogun and Clavell’s book is very deep indeed.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
Nothing in the original text of the Ten Commandments prohibits a married man from sleeping with an unmarried woman, concubine or enslaved person.
—Kenneth Seeskin, Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for concubine
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Faces painted white, surrounded by concubines of every gender, Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are utterly taken with the barbarian who can recite Virgil while covered in another man’s blood, after Macrinus presents Lucius in a private showcase.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
Luckily for fans turned on by Shogun to the cunning machinations of feudal Japanese lords, swordsmen, concubines and ladies in waiting, the well of samurai storytelling that inspired Shogun and Clavell’s book is very deep indeed.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
Nothing in the original text of the Ten Commandments prohibits a married man from sleeping with an unmarried woman, concubine or enslaved person.
—Kenneth Seeskin, Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for concubine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for concubine
Noun
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Hedda, so determined to be mistress of her own emotions, is felled.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
8 Sep. 2025
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Need someone to absorb your wife’s anger over that extramarital affair without inconveniencing your mistress?—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Monteverde’s cloud forest is a haven for nature lovers, with canopy walks and wildlife encounters that will delight young and old alike.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
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Last March, Mariah The Scientist allegedly came to blows with Young Thug’s former lover, Cleopatra Dues, at an Atlanta lounge.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Concubine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/concubine. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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