1
as in sex
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis
does not allow her young daughter to watch any films in which lovemaking is shown, however discreetly
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2
as in dating
the series of social engagements shared by a couple looking to get married
a series of Rococo paintings in which the lovemaking of French aristocrats is depicted with erotic playfulness
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lovemaking
The only real originality in the accounts of Jesus’ virgin birth is their distinctly Jewish and prudish tone, with the impregnation dignified and at arm’s length rather than represented, as in the Hellenistic myths, as a shower of gold or the lovemaking of an amorous swan.
—
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Early on, the director preferred portraying heterosexual lovemaking.
—Carlos Aguilar, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
The scene — shot long before the days of intimacy coordinators — goes on for quite some time, and features both actors in the nude (almost — there were modesty coverings out of view) being quite vigorous in their simulated lovemaking.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
Always sick, always breathless, his lovemaking constantly interrupted by his coughing or his guts.
—Daniel Mason, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lovemaking
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Early on, the director preferred portraying heterosexual lovemaking.
—Carlos Aguilar, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
The scene — shot long before the days of intimacy coordinators — goes on for quite some time, and features both actors in the nude (almost — there were modesty coverings out of view) being quite vigorous in their simulated lovemaking.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
Always sick, always breathless, his lovemaking constantly interrupted by his coughing or his guts.
—Daniel Mason, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lovemaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lovemaking
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
Noun
-
Synch’s bet is that by pairing a coach like Lily with deeper compatibility modeling, online dating can start to feel closer to a thoughtful, real‑world introduction than an endless catalog of faces.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Transforming the Human Touch Beyond fraud, dating, academics, and email writing, a subtler form of the AI intermediary is popping up in offices around the world.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On top of that, one of Colvin’s classmates, Jeremiah Reeves, had recently been arrested for having intercourse with a white woman.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Jan. 2026
-
British prosecutors said Johnston used threats and intimidation to force the woman into having intercourse with the men, per the outlet.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Actually looking for the romance category as a category that’s been underrepresented, both in streaming and just kind of broadly in our eyes.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Yet in Season 3 of the show, Theo didn’t appear at all, suggesting that Eloise’s romance in the show may go back to following the books.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Marshalls rescued her from Lake Copeland so she wouldn’t be harmed by her parents, a mating pair of swans who still live there.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Among these dolphins, males with close social bonds spend much of their time together, often traveling, foraging, mating and resting in the same groups.—
Hasmik Kirakosyan,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The message came with a photo of Donaldson carrying his bride under an arched walkway, plus a few pics from along their happy courtship.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Paltrow, now 53, and Affleck, also 53, dated for three years, on and off, in the late 1990s — and began their courtship just before his 1997 film Good Will Hunting, premiered.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The duo’s departure leaves Japan without any pandas for the first time in more than five decades, at a time when relations between Asia’s two biggest economies are at their lowest point in years.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
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Over the subsequent stories, Goodman crafts subtle investigations of the relations between siblings, the fine blend of anxiety and pride parents feel for their offspring, and the bemused affection an aunt or uncle might feel for their aimless nieces or haphazard nephews.—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lovemaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lovemaking. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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