as in sex
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis
our Puritan forebears imposed severe penalties for copulating outside of marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in sleeping
to engage in sexual intercourse
the time of year when deer in the wild are likely to copulate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of copulating
Jack Guy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
After copulating, the two males lay immobile on the seafloor as the female swam away.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copulating
Noun
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The State Department suspended processing applications from Americans seeking to update their passports with a new gender marker in January, shortly after President Trump signed an executive order proclaiming the U.S. recognizes only two unchangeable sexes, male and female.—
Brooke Migdon,
The Hill,
5 Sep. 2025
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January saying that the federal government will only recognize two sexes: male and female.—
Sonam Sheth
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Avoid sleeping on your stomach While this position can open up airways for struggling snorers, it's often associated with its potential downsides, Wermter says.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
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And this is supposed to be sleeping time.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Oh, and the elk, which are busy sparring and bugling as part of their annual mating ritual.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
26 Sep. 2025
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Blue jay and green jay spottings in Texas The researchers attribute changes in weather patterns to the mating of the different birds.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There are alignments of anemia with some of the early modern symptoms of green sickness—though very few people today are likely to think anemia is caused by a blockage of bodily humors curable by intercourse.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Sep. 2025
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One 2024 survey found that about 60 percent of college students reported having had vaginal intercourse; a 2022 Pew Research survey reported that more than half of all adults under 30 were in a relationship at the time.—
Molly Langmuir,
The Atlantic,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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China, India resume flights after five-year hiatus China and India agreed to restart direct flights after a five-year hiatus, the latest sign of thawing relations between the world’s most populous nations.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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Buck began her career at Fox News Channel as a media relations coordinator.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Copulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copulating. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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