Thesaurus results for COPULATING

copulating 1 of 2

noun

as in sex

sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis our Puritan forebears imposed severe penalties for copulating outside of marriage

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copulating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of copulate

as in sleeping

to engage in sexual intercourse the time of year when deer in the wild are likely to copulate

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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 copulating

Verb

While copulating, female praying mantises often kill their mates and eat them. — Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 And finally, wouldn’t being near-perfectly still for an hour make a pair of copulating octopuses ridiculously exposed to predators? — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026 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

In four-day periods every year from March to August, legions of small, silver fish called grunion ride the waves ashore for mating rituals, beginning on the nights of the full and new moons.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
More prominent in males, these pincers are primarily used for defense and mating displays.

— Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026

Definition of mating

Verb

The new model maintains Airstream’s convertible front dinette to create a flexible space for dining, relaxing, or even sleeping for an extra single traveler.

— Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
As of January, when the Homeless Trust last tallied the county’s homeless population, 605 people were found sleeping on Miami’s streets — just over half of the county’s entire unsheltered population.

— Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026

Definition of sleeping

Noun

The two counts of rape Høiby was convicted of did not involve intercourse.

— Gwladys Fouche, USA Today, 15 June 2026
However, soy isoflavones didn’t appear to provide significant overall benefits for painful intercourse, hot flashes, night sweats, and psychological symptoms.

— Sarah Garone, Health, 22 May 2026

Definition of intercourse

Noun

Announced during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to the kingdom last week, the deal follows a thawing of bilateral relations after a years-long diplomatic rift over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.

— Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 14 July 2026
This is the only New Moon all year that offers you a chance to think about how to improve your home and relations with family.

— Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 14 July 2026

Definition of relations

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“Copulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copulating. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of copulating

noun

verb

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