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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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

Against the sounds of traffic, the groups hear pigeon mating sounds and babies squeaking for food.

— KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Males perform complex mating flights in the late summer months and into fall (August through October) which often involve intercepting prospective partners mid-air.

— Sean Donnelly, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of mating

Verb

Trouble sleeping, for example, is common in Parkinson’s, and exercise can improve sleep.

— Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Yes, there are buses and road access, but only those sleeping on its shores can experience its beauty from day to night.

— Callie Thorpe, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of sleeping

Noun

China-Japan relations have come under heavy strain since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament in November last year that Japan could get militarily involved in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

— Anniek Bao,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
Questions remain over how a citizen of Oman, a country which does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, was authorized to co-pilot a plane bound for Tel Aviv, despite Israel’s strict security regulations.

— Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of relations

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“Copulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copulating. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of copulating

noun

verb

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