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
-
The findings, from 1,592 U.S. citizens of different ages, sexes, races and incomes, were collected between Dec. 20 and Dec. 22.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
-
On his first day in office, Mr. Trump signed an executive order that declared the federal government would recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
One of the things that makes or breaks your sleep is sleeping temperature.—
John Shumway,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
Cities spend millions cycling people through jails for sleeping outside while affordable housing waitlists continue to grow.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The onset of mating season this spring has escalated tensions, with the males’ loud early morning mating calls particularly aggravating residents.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
Now is the time to visit for snake fans, as the reptiles are in the midst of their annual mating ritual, which begins with thousands of male garter snakes emerging from their underground winter dens.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Lovelace O’Neal was transfixed by the idea of how much water the massive creatures would displace when engaging in intercourse.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
15 May 2026
-
Common symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include irritation, swelling and a thick white discharge, along with a burning sensation – especially during urination or intercourse.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Criminals looking to establish online romantic relations with lonely seniors before bleeding their bank accounts dry.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
The leaders of both nations met for talks and said progress was made during the trip to stabilize relations, although Beijing showed little interest in getting more involved in the war with Iran.—
Grace Miserocchi,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Copulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copulating. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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