copulation

noun

Definition of copulationnext
as in sex
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis female pandas are receptive to copulation for a short time once a year

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 copulation More than likely, based on Golden State statutes, the eight years Weinstein received for the forcible oral copulation conviction will be reduced by a couple of years. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 June 2026 After spending close to seven years in prison, Weinstein, 74, has still served less than half of his 16-year-sentence in California, where he was found guilty of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and penetration by foreign object against Jane Doe 1. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 She was booked on allegations of sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation and digital penetration. — Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026 Samantha Josephine Watson, 41, of Eastvale, was booked at the Robert Presley Jail on Friday on suspicion of sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation and digital penetration, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 22 May 2026 Berera was initially charged with committing a lewd act on a child and oral copulation of a person under 16, court records show, but those counts were dropped through the plea deal. — Nate Gartrell, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026 Berera was initially charged with committing a lewd act on a child and oral copulation of a person under 16, court records show, but those counts were dropped through the plea deal. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026 The Valley overlaps geographically with the hippie homeland of San Francisco, Berkeley, and their environs, and there’s long been cross-pollination, if not orgiastic copulation, between the two spheres. — Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copulation
  1. intercourse
  2. mating
  3. relations
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
  • That includes mating—most of the world’s population carries Neanderthal DNA to this day.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 6 July 2026
  • The females and males that develop from the pupae end up mating, which leaves the males and females in the wild to continue mating and laying eggs.
    — Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026
Definition of mating
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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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on copulation

Nglish: Translation of copulation for Spanish Speakers

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