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
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
Verb
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
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Ironically, stiff upper lips seem to have almost vanished as both sexes burst into tears if anything either lovely or lousy happens to them.—
Jilly Cooper,
Vogue,
7 Oct. 2025
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From then on, officers of both sexes had the same roles, training, equipment, and pay benefits, consolidating the presence of women in the Swedish police force and ending decades of symbolic and practical restrictions.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ridgetop is a larger option, sleeping up to 18 guests with six bathrooms as well as six private bedrooms, each sleeping up to three people.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
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Franklin says warning signs of caregiver strain can include chronic fatigue, anxiety, irritability, difficulty sleeping and emotional withdrawal.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The park is a stop on the Indiana Birding Trail, offering chances to see a diverse array of species at different stages of migration, mating and raising their young.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Durrell alternates between slapstick domestic high jinks, wanderings through the lush natural landscape, and increasingly ambitious investigations of biological life, from tracking twitching bacteria in pond water to the mating habits of insects.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Your Sex Drive in Your 60s and Beyond Close to 50% of women over the age of 60 suffer from vaginal dryness, decreased vaginal lubrication, pain during intercourse and trouble, or inability, to reach an orgasm.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
18 May 2026
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Wilzig told the Miami Herald in a 2002 profile that intercourse and naked bodies were beautiful and natural, and no one should be embarrassed by talking about the topic.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Sri Lanka holds an important geopolitical position given its proximity and cultural ties to India but also close relations with China – its biggest lender – without forgetting the United States as its largest export market.—
Danish Manzoor Bhat,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Dec. 2025
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Her current practice includes domestic relations matters, along with civil, state and federal criminal defense.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Copulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copulating. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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